


Indy's Day Out

by punk_rock_yuppie



Series: two men and a mothbaby [2]
Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series)
Genre: Accidental Cryptid Baby Acquisition, Bigfoot Tribes/Colonies, Co-Parenting, Cryptid Kidfic, Dubious Research of Bigfoot Sightings, Established Relationship, Fluff, Found Family, Love, M/M, Mothbaby Magic, Parental Bonding, Relationship Developments, Romance, Shenanigans, Talk of adoption, road trip fic, talk of marriage
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2019-12-08
Packaged: 2021-01-24 16:43:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 28,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21341425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punk_rock_yuppie/pseuds/punk_rock_yuppie
Summary: Okay, so it’s more like Indy’sweekout. Butstill.AKA: Raising Indy 2: Interdimensional Boogaloo
Relationships: Ryan Bergara/Shane Madej
Series: two men and a mothbaby [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1554988
Comments: 91
Kudos: 125





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Decided to start posting this in time for Ryan's birthday! Happy birthday Ryan, I got you a baby Bigfoot. 
> 
> So, earlier this year, I had the idea that I wanted to use 'Indy's Day Out' as a title for a short follow-up to Raising Indy where the boys and Indy go out to, like, the park or something! Just sometime fun and, more importantly, short. Then Bessy was all "but what if they found a baby Bigfoot and had to get it back to its mama!" And now here we are. That's right folks, this is 100% Bessy's fault. She's great.
> 
> Big thanks to her for cheerleading and making the graphics in the fic. Also thanks to her as well as Hannah for beta'ing! Also shout out to Pam for the "interdimensional boogaloo" thing! 
> 
> Gosh, I really don't have much to say other than I hope you all enjoy this fluff-fest!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Buddy, we’ve been looking all over for you!” Shane says as he peers around Ryan. He makes a choked sort of noise and mutters in Ryan’s ear, “Is that a…?”
> 
> Ryan blinks. “Indy, uh.” He approaches cautiously. “Who’s this?” he settles on asking once he’s close enough to grab Indy and run, if need be.
> 
> Indy’s antenna twitch. Impossibly, the mothbaby stares up at Ryan unimpressed. Which is maybe fair, Ryan thinks, because it’s pretty clear what’s sitting in the clearing with them. It’s just hard to believe—yes, even after everything with Indy and Mothman and a fucking _demon_—that sitting beside their godchild could be a…
> 
> “Is that a baby Bigfoot?” Shane asks, equal parts disbelief and delight. Ryan takes a deep breath because yes. Yes, it is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let the adventure begin! 
> 
> Shout out to Catt and the rest of the Shyan discord for help thinking of what Obi might say! 
> 
> Enjoy!

Ryan rolls over with a groan. “Was that the door?” he asks around a yawn.

Shane snores in response, loud and rumbling; the worst part is, it’s not exaggerated. The big lug is still passed out _hard_, despite the doorbell ringing and the pounding that’s been thundering for the last five minutes. If they still lived in an apartment, their neighbors would hate them. As it is, Mrs. Haase next door probably isn’t too happy about it. Obi _definitely_ isn’t too happy about it; he stirs at the foot of the bed and chirps unhappily when Ryan shifts. 

Ryan rolls out of bed and nearly faceplants when he trips over a spare pair of boxers. He checks that he looks at least somewhat presentable—that is, not totally naked and his dick isn’t out—before staggering out of their bedroom and down the hall. He takes the stairs slowly, groggily, and by the time the front door is in his sight, he’s ready to go back to bed. 

The doorbell sounds again, and Ryan lets out another groan. “I’m coming!” he hollers as he reaches the door. He pulls it open without looking, and stares at...nothing. 

“Uh.”

_Down here._

Ryan startles with a yelp and stumbles away from his door. “Jesus Christ, Indy, you scared he shit outta me.”

Indy trills and flaps its wings. It’s gotten taller since its last visit, almost coming up to Ryan’s thighs now. It doesn’t apologize as it barrels forward and crashes against Ryan’s legs.

“Hey, little guy,” Ryan says. He’s still exhausted, but his annoyance at being disturbed is gone as he drops down to Indy’s level and wraps the mothbaby—more of a mothkid at this point, but Ryan can’t bring himself to think of it that way—in a hug. Indy trills happily and slaps its antennae against Ryan’s face. 

“This is a surprise,” Shane says from the bottom of the stairs. “I didn’t know we had a visit planned.” Obi follows behind Shane, trotting past him and into the kitchen where his food sits. 

_We didn’t_, Indy says, its voice reverberating through both their minds. 

“You just wanted to see us that bad, huh?” Shane asks with a grin as he meanders over. He doesn’t drop to his knees, but it doesn’t matter; the second Ryan lets Indy out of the hug, the mothbaby takes off into the air and straight into Shane’s arms. 

_Dad said it was okay._

Ryan snorts as he stands. He runs his hand along Indy’s back; its fur is longer but no less soft. “You know you’re always welcome here, little dude.” 

Indy trills, _Bed?_

Ryan shares a grin with Shane and says, “Sure. I could go for a couple more hours of sleep.”

“Same,” Shane says, yawning for emphasis. He adjusts Indy in his arms and then they’re off, back up the stairs and back to their bedroom. It’s a tighter fit with Indy growing all the time, but that’s what the Alaskan King bed is for. It’s lavishly large when Indy’s not staying over—or when Indy actually sleeps in the room Shane and Ryan set up for him—but when Indy is around, it’s just right for the three of them to share. 

They fall into the bed in a heap, rearranging themselves slowly as sleep comes for them yet again. Ryan moves one of his pillows to the center of the bed and Indy clambers atop it, curling up into a fuzzy ball. Ryan pillows his head on his arm and rests his other hand on Indy’s back. Shane links their fingers. 

They share another grin before drifting off.

Ryan wakes a few hours later to the bed bouncing and swaying. He opens one eye to see Shane awake and sitting up, watching Indy bounce on the bed. The mothbaby hits the bed and bounces back into the air, then floats for a moment before sinking down again and repeating the process over and over. 

“What’s all this?” Ryan asks. He rubs the sleep from his eyes. A glance around tells him Obi is sitting beside the bed, watching Indy bounce in the air with wide, dilated eyes. 

“Indy’s excited.”

_Missed you._

Ryan’s heart thuds warmly. “We missed you too, buddy.” 

Indy chirps and bounces a little higher. _Let’s play!_

Ryan looks at Shane. “We didn’t have any plans.”

“We didn’t,” Shane agrees. “Trip to the park couldn’t hurt.” 

Indy’s wings flap and keep it in the air a few seconds longer before it crash-lands onto the bed purposefully. _Yes!_

“Guess that’s decided then.” Ryan swings his legs over the edge of the bed and moves toward the dresser. “You wanna get dressed up, Indy?” 

Another trill, and a soft _pop_ as Indy vanishes, presumably to its room. Ryan smiles at Shane over his shoulder. Shane clambers off the bed and joins him at the dresser, wrapping around him. 

“This is good,” Shane says. “Missed the kid.” 

“Me too.” Ryan leans back against Shane and drinks in the warmth of his body. “Sometimes I still can’t believe this is really our life, you know?”

Shane nods and presses a tender kiss to Ryan’s temple. “We should hurry if we don’t want Indy popping in on us naked. Again.”

Ryan sighs. “You’re right,” he says with a quiet chuckle. “Maybe one day it’ll learn.”

Shane raises an eyebrow and sends Ryan into a fit of wheezing. “Yeah, Indy will learn not to barge in on us the same way I’ll admit ghosts are real and you’ll stop being a Lakers fan.”

Ryan shakes his head. “Don’t even joke about that.”

Shane rolls his eyes. 

They do manage to get dressed before Indy appears back in their room, clad in its favorite sunhat and a t-shirt that’s still overly large, even with its growth spurts. Shane scoops the mothbaby into his arms again and they make their way to the kitchen. Ryan digs the baby bag out from the downstairs hall closet, where it already sits at the ready for any Indy visits. He starts to load it up with things like water bottles chilling in the fridge in their garage and makes a note to pick up an apple or two along the way. 

He’s still not quite sure how Indy’s eating works, but it doesn’t stop him from trying. Indy hasn’t said anything to contradict what Ryan’s been doing for two years now, and the mothbaby _can_ speak directly to them now. No spirit box needed. So either Indy enjoys the charade, or there’s some truth to it. 

“You look like you’re thinking awfully hard for a trip to the park,” Shane says as he comes around the corner, Indy in his arms.

“Shut up,” Ryan replies. “C’mon, let’s go.” He shoulders the duffle bag, a familiar weight, and strides toward their front door.

_Obi wants to come with_, Indy says as they near the door. Ryan looks down at Shane’s feet where Obi sits, nonchalantly cleaning a paw.

“Sorry bud,” Shane says, bending to pat the top of Obi’s head—quite the feat while he’s still got Indy in one arm. “Maybe next time!”

_He says there’s a nice tabby he wants to speak with,_ Indy adds.

Ryan sighs and Shane lets out a startled laugh. “We’re not taking you to the park so you can mack on a stray,” Ryan says.

“Aw, c’mon Ryan! Romance is in the air!”

Ryan rolls his eyes. “I really don’t want to have to keep track of two brats,” Ryan says with a teasing lilt in his voice. “One of you is plenty.”

“I’ll take you for a walk later, Obi, promise,” Shane says with a final scritch under the cat’s chin. He straightens up and adjusts Indy in his arms, grabs his keys off the rack, then nods at Ryan as Indy trills pleasantly in his arms.

Ryan holds open the door and herds the other two out of the house, twisting the lock behind him.

Indy disappears from Shane’s arms with a _pop_, and a glance over at Shane’s car tells Ryan that Indy is already situated in the backseat, ready to hit the road.

“Seriously,” Shane says as they walk toward the car. “You okay?”

“Just thinking about Indy.”

“You were thinking about the food thing again, weren’t you?”

Ryan shoots his boyfriend a glare and Shane holds up his hands in surrender, keys jingling. “It’s totally reasonable to wonder if Indy is just humoring us. He gets that from you.”

“Maybe he gets it from Mothdaddy,” Shane says simply before folding himself into the driver’s seat of his car. “C’mon, Ryan!” he hollers from inside. “We’re burning daylight!”

“Who even says that,” Ryan mutters as he climbs into the passenger’s seat.

It always happens when Indy visits—but as they all clamber out of the car and head toward the park, Ryan has a moment of fear. Fear that someone will see through Indy’s guise, or fear that another demon will try and take Indy again, or, hell, even just fear that Mothman will appear out of nowhere and chide Ryan and Shane for something. Not that he’s ever done that before, but that doesn’t stop Ryan from worrying about it.

And just like always, Shane’s arm wrapping around his waist and Indy’s excited trilling soothe the worries in his chest. He and Shane walk at a comfortably sedate pace as Indy barrels ahead. Parents and kids turn their heads as Indy runs past them, but their stares don’t linger; Ryan knows they see an exuberant, cute, but otherwise unremarkable kid.

Eventually, they reach Indy’s favorite spot of the park—a more open area, with a good view of the sky and a bench nearby. Shane finally detaches from Ryan and tugs the duffle bag off his shoulder as he goes.

“Go play,” Shane tells him, leaning in to press a quick kiss to the corner of Ryan’s mouth. “I’m gonna claim the bench before someone tries to steal it.”

“It’s not like it’s a comfortable bench,” Ryan starts to say, but a tugging at his hand distracts him. He looks down to see Indy beside him, wing flapping against Ryan’s hand like a toddler grabbing at his fingers. “What’s up, buddy?”

It flicks its antennae toward the swing set, and Ryan bites down on a smile.

“Yeah, alright.” He places a hand on Indy’s head, between its antennae, and lets Indy lead the way to the swing set. Luckily, there’s one left open—it’s probably not luck, Ryan knows, but he’s long since decided not to question Indy’s ways—and Ryan scoops the mothbaby into his arms to help it into the seat. Its inky black legs kick excitedly, and Ryan can’t help but laugh.

He grabs the chains and carefully steps backwards, raising Indy higher and higher into the air before letting go, listening to Indy trill all the while. He’s always found Indy’s fascination with swing sets kind of funny; the kid can _fly_, but there’s just something about the swings that delights Indy like nothing else.

Ryan keeps pushing Indy every time it swings back towards him but lets his gaze drift around the park and playground. There’s plenty of other families out, but his eyes zero in on Shane before long. Shane is on the bench, not quite sprawled across it, but it’s a near thing. He looks ridiculous as he basks in the sun, head tilted back and arms along the back of the bench. He lets out a contented sigh, something Ryan can only barely see from this distance, but his heart thuds heavily and happily in his chest all the same.

Indy trills and Ryan focuses on the mothbaby again. “Sorry, buddy,” he says, and gives an especially hard push so Indy flies up even higher in the swing. Ryan focuses on his hands colliding with the hard plastic of the seat, and his eyes stay trained on Indy’s little gray form, but his mind wanders.

It’s been nearly two and a half years since Ryan first woke up with Indy on his chest, and just shy of two years since Indy showed up on their doorstep just when Ryan was sure they’d never see the mothbaby again. Since then, it’s been a mix of planned and sporadic visits, interspersed with changes at work (good and bad) and him and Shane agreeing to rent a house with enough space for Indy’s own room _and_ a guest bedroom. It’s been kind of turbulent, and a lot crazy, and every time Indy visits again, Ryan’s reminded that _this is his life_.

“Want me to take over?” Shane says, suddenly beside him. “I can probably get Indy higher.”

“That’s just because you’re taller, dick,” Ryan says, even as he steps back and lets Shane take his place. “I can’t believe you left our bench unattended.”

“It’s not like it’s a comfortable bench,” Shane parrots back easily.

Ryan rolls his eyes and wanders over to the bench, falling onto the wood and metal with a grunt. _Should’ve packed a picnic_, he thinks with a glance at their duffle bag. He’s running through a mental list of what places are nearby that they could grab food at when the coffee and bagels they grabbed on the way eventually leave them hungry again, when a shadow looming over him stops his thoughts in their tracks.

He looks up slowly and squints against the sunlight. For a second, the person in front of him is cast in shadows from the angle of the sun, but they shift slightly, and Ryan lets out a quiet breath of relief. Just a human, a normal person—a mom, from the looks of it, with her own baby bag on her hip and a tired smile on her face.

“You and your husband are precious,” she tells him.

Ryan blinks. “Sorry?”

“You and your husband?” she repeats, pointing to the swing set where Shane looks like he’s trying to send Indy into fucking _space_. “You two and your kid are just adorable.”

Ryan swallows; he can feel a blush rising to his cheeks. “Thanks,” he says. “You know how it is.” He keeps talking, words feeling kind of like marbles in his mouth, “Kids say they want to go to the park, you’re going to the park.”

The mom laughs in that way that all parents seem to laugh: kind of rehearsed, kind of polite, but not so much to be annoying. “Don’t I know it!” She smiles at him again. “Sorry, I just had to tell you. You all just seem so happy.”

Ryan nods. He blinks a little owlishly. “Uh, yeah, thank you,” he says a second time.

“Have a nice day!” And then she’s curling her fingers at him in a wave and turning away. She shouts for her kid but Ryan’s already tuning her out.

_Husband_. Ryan glances over at Shane again. He’s finally no longer shoving the seat like he’s trying to wrap Indy’s seat around the metal bars, and instead is pushing the mothbaby at an easier pace. Indy looks just as pleased by this pace as he was by the insanity before. Ryan shakes his head fondly, smiling to himself.

It’s not like he hasn’t thought about it before. They’ve basically been raising Indy together, it’s kind of hard _not_ to think about their future together. They’ve got a house, and sure, it’s just a rental, but they’ve both talked before about how many kids they want, so it’s pretty much a given that they’ll buy a big house once they’re ready.

A thought dawns on Ryan—_what are we going to tell our kids about Indy?_—but he pushes it away. It’s too overwhelming, suddenly, to think of marriage and kids and merging all of that life with what they have now.

Ryan takes a deep breath, inhales the scent of cut grass and summer wind, and forces his heart to stop skipping a beat every other second.

He’s still kind of mired in his half crisis-half daydream when another shadow looms over him, but the quiet chirping that accompanies it tells him it’s Shane and Indy.

“Hey, can you pass me a water bottle?” Shane asks and Ryan moves without thinking, reaching into the bag and fishing a still fairly cool bottle from the depths. He passes it to Shane and watches as Indy screws the top off the bottle with its powers, before teleporting out of Shane’s arms with the bottle.

“Little brat asks me to carry it over here, and then disappears anyway,” Shane grumbles good-naturedly as he falls onto the bench beside Ryan. He slings an arm across Ryan’s shoulders and crosses one leg over the other, the picture of a relaxed parent. “Was some lady talking to you?”

“Oh, uh, yeah.” Ryan doesn’t look at Shane as he speaks. “She just thought you and Indy were cute.”

Shane, predictably, preens. “Of course, we’re the cutest. You’re a very lucky man.”

Ryan shoves at Shane, but can’t help thinking, _yeah, I am. _The shoving turns into relaxing against Shane’s side and watching the other families mingle about. Anxiety churns slowly in Ryan’s gut since he can’t immediately see Indy, but in the two years since they first met the mothbaby, no other threats have ever arisen. There’s no reason to think something would happen now.

_That’s exactly what they’d want me to think,_ Ryan thinks as he rises to his feet abruptly. Shane, who’d been leaning on him too and apparently dozing off, falls against the bench and grunts in surprise.

“Ryan?”

“I’m gonna go find Indy.”

Shane sits up slowly and rubs at his eyes. “Indy’s fine, Ry.”

“I know, but it’s been a bit. I just wanna find it, and I’ll be fine. I’m not going to make Indy stop playing or whatever.”

Shane stands too. “Alright, let’s go then.”

Ryan doesn’t tell Shane to stay and watch the bench, because the idea of something _actually_ being wrong and trying to face that without Shane at his side isn’t exactly a pleasant one. So they lay a blanket from the duffle bag across the bench, and a nearby dad gives them a thumbs-up, because that’s the kind of people they are now, apparently.

Then Shane takes Ryan’s hand, and gestures vaguely ahead. “Lead the way.”

“I don’t have some kind of Indy radar,” Ryan mutters.

Shane hums. “You kind of do.”

“Shut up.” Ryan tugs Shane along as they walk down the sidewalk that cuts through the park. They peer around and try not to look too blatantly like they’re looking for what is essentially their godchild. There’s no need to cause alarm, so Ryan tries to keep his darting eyes looking at least a little sane.

They’re coming up on an emptier corner of the park, one lush with bushes and trees, when familiar chirping and trilling catches his ears.

“Indy!” he breathes. He tightens his hand around Shane’s to pull him toward the noise. They end up slipping between some shrubbery, following a little dirt path until they spill out into a twig and leaf covered spot. Ryan stops short and Shane crashes into his back right as Indy whirls around to face them.

_Hi!_

“Buddy, we’ve been looking all over for you!” Shane says as he peers around Ryan. He makes a choked sort of noise and mutters in Ryan’s ear, “Is that a…?”

Ryan blinks. “Indy, uh.” He approaches cautiously. “Who’s this?” he settles on asking once he’s close enough to grab Indy and run, if need be.

Indy’s antenna twitch. Impossibly, the mothbaby stares up at Ryan unimpressed. Which is maybe fair, Ryan thinks, because it’s pretty clear what’s sitting in the clearing with them. It’s just hard to believe—yes, even after everything with Indy and Mothman and a fucking _demon_—that sitting beside their godchild could be a…

“Is that a baby Bigfoot?” Shane asks, equal parts disbelief and delight. Ryan takes a deep breath because yes. Yes, it is.

In fact, baby Bigfoot looks a lot like regular Bigfoot, just…smaller.

Not that Ryan or Shane have ever seen regular Bigfoot in person, or anything. But they’ve seen the infamous picture, and they’ve seen the artist renditions and so on and so forth. Baby Bigfoot comes up to about Shane’s waist, not too much taller than Indy. It's covered head to toe in hair, with uncertain eyes colored deep brown and set under a heavy brow, and it’s got a face kind of like a monkey, except more expressive and human-like. Its palms are bare but muddy, a little scraped up.

Ryan’s been staring for what feels like eons; Shane drops to a crouch almost immediately, hands over his mouth in surprise.

“Did you make a friend, Indy?” Ryan finds himself asking.

Indy’s voice reverberates in their heads. _Yes. Her name is—_ and then Indy says something that kind of reminds Ryan of Mothman’s actual name. That is, it’s entirely impossible to decipher or comprehend. A glance at Shane tells Ryan he feels the same way.

“How about,” Ryan starts, slowly. “How about we call her Littlefoot, is that okay?” He looks at Indy, who looks at the baby Bigfoot and trills. The other creature grumbles back, a low and rumbling noise, and Indy trills again, and there’s another growl before Indy turns back to Ryan.

_She says that’s fine_.

“Oh thank god.” Ryan sinks to the ground slowly. “Hi, Littlefoot,” he says, feeling only slightly ridiculous. He talks to seemingly empty air for a living, this is at least a step up from that. “I’m Ryan, this is Shane.”

_I told her._

Ryan nods. “Of course you did.” He looks Littlefoot up and down. “Is she okay? Are you okay?” he corrects belatedly, addressing Littlefoot.

Littlefoot blinks at him. Eventually, she nods.

“Awesome. You’re not hurt?”

She shakes her head.

“Cool, cool. Shane, you alive?” Ryan turns to look at his boyfriend. Shane hasn’t moved an inch. “Shane.”

“I’m good, I’m great. Remember last time this sort of thing happened, and it took a bit for me to adjust? I’m adjusting.”

“You said you believed in Bigfoots!” Ryan hisses.

“There’s a difference between seeing and believing. I believed, now I am seeing, and I am simply merging the two. In my head. Are you saying this isn’t at least _kind_ of a lot for you?”

“We’ve been babysitting Indy on and off for two years.”

“Just because I’ve accepted the existence of Mothman and his child does not mean I was ready to confirm the existence of a baby Bigfoot.”

_Littlefoot,_ Indy supplies inside their heads.

“Littlefoot,” Shane corrects.

“Christ, Shane,” Ryan says with a roll of his eyes. “Okay, Indy, did you see if, uh, if Littlefoot’s parent is around?”

Indy’s antennae twitch. _Yes. She says she got separated. She’s lost._

“Fuck,” Shane says faintly. “Are we about to do this _again_?”

“At least there’s no demon this time.” Ryan lets the thought rest for a second before looking at Indy and asking, “There’s no demon, right?”

Indy makes the familiar wheezing sort of noise, and a rush of fondness overwhelms the momentary panic. _No_, it says, _there’s no demon this time._

Ryan nods. “Awesome. Uh, Littlefoot?”

The baby Bigfoot perks up slightly.

“You wanna come a little closer? We won’t hurt you, I promise.”

Littlefoot moves slowly and cautiously but does take a few uncertain steps closer to Ryan. He raises his hand and she flinches back for a moment, but leans in again after Indy trills something at her. Littlefoot tilts her head, allows Ryan to rest his hand atop her mop of hair, and lets out a contented growl.

“Jesus.”

“So we’re doing this, then,” Shane says. He sounds a little less manic than before. “Accidental cryptid acquisition part two, electric boogaloo.”

Ryan sighs. Littlefoot moves closer to Shane now, letting Ryan’s hand drop off her head. As Littlefoot winds her arms around Shane’s legs, Ryan can’t help but smile. “Yeah, I guess we are.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How did we end up here again?” Ryan asks as he climbs into bed beside Shane. “Are we just, like…”
> 
> “Cursed?”
> 
> “I don’t wanna call it cursed, cuz it’s not like it’s a bad thing.”
> 
> Shane hums. “True. Blessed?”
> 
> From the living room, there’s a loud shriek and a loud growl in rapid succession. “Not sure I’d call it a blessing, either.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter two is here! thanks to everyone who commented on the first chapter, I'm really glad you're all so excited for the sequel! I'm super excited to share it with y'all! This chapter begins the start of the 'dubious research of Bigfoot sitings' tag, because I could only bring myself to dig _so_ deep into the research, hahah. 
> 
> Enjoy!

They bring Littlefoot, because really, what else can they do? Ryan grills Indy a little more, but once he’s satisfied that the mothbaby really  _ did _ try looking for Littlefoot’s mom he and Shane agree there’s really nothing else to do but bring Littlefoot home.

She’s not a huge fan of cars, they realize quickly, but Indy is at her side in an instant, cooing and trilling until Shane can lift Littlefoot into the backseat and buckle her in. Indy disappears and reappears with quick _pops_ and buckles itself in beside Littlefoot.

“This feels familiar,” Shane murmurs as he clambers once more into the driver’s side.

“You didn’t even come home with me when we first got Indy,” Ryan retorts.

“Same vibe!” Shane says insistently. “At least this time I won’t spend a couple days worrying something’s come to kill you.”

“No, now we can worry together.” Ryan shoots Shane a shaky grin and Shane rolls his eyes. He looks away from Shane to peek into the backseat where Littlefoot and Indy are sitting and staring at each other. Every so often, one of them chirps or growls; Indy’s feet keep kicking, and Littlefoot seems to twist her thick, hairy fingers constantly.

“Are you guys hungry?” Ryan asks as they pass a McDonalds, the golden arches appearing and vanishing from the corner of his eye.

“We have food at home.”

“What if we don’t have anything that Littlefoot can eat?”

Shane opens his mouth to reply, then stops. “Littlefoot,” he says louder, since he can’t turn around and look at the creature. “What do you like to eat?”

Littlefoot looks to Indy first, then lets out a series of growls and sounds almost like squeaks. Ryan looks at Indy expectantly.

_ Pretty much anything, _ Indy says. It pauses and looks over as Littlefoot growls softly again.  _Meats and veggies are fine._

“We’ve got the stuff for a stew at home, I bet Littlefoot would like that.”

Littlefoot lets out another squeak, a little louder, and reaches out an arm—Ryan is just now realizing how long her arms are—to plant her hand on Shane’s shoulder. Shane starts slightly but unclasps a hand from the steering wheel to pat at Littlefoot’s hand.

“We got this, Ry,” Shane says as he merges into the exit lane. “We did it once, and there’s no demon this time! How hard can this be?”

Littlefoot refuses to get out of the car once they park at home, until Shane drops to a crouch and holds out his arms. He lets out a soft “oof” as she scrambles into his grasp, and it looks faintly like she’s choking him as he carries her toward the front door, but it’s kind of cute. Ryan digs his phone out of his pocket and snaps a few pictures.

Once inside, Littlefoot still doesn’t want to be set down. Part of that might be because of Obi, growling and circling around Shane’s feet with uncertainty. One second he twines around Shane’s ankles affectionately, the next he’s skittering away with a hiss aimed at Littlefoot. It doesn’t seem to matter that Indy trills—presumably assuring Obi that Littlefoot isn’t dangerous. Obi just isn’t certain of the baby Bigfoot, Indy tells them with something like a shrug. Gently, Shane nudges Obi to the side with his foot. 

“It’s kind of early for stew,” Ryan says as he watches Shane waddle over to the couch. He falls onto it with Littlefoot shifting in his lap. “I’ll make, uh, some sandwiches.”

“I’ll just…stay here.” Shane grins at him from around the mop of brown hair in his lap.

Indy toddles after Ryan into the kitchen.  _We have to get her home._

“We will, Indy,” Ryan says as he heads toward the fridge. They still need to stock up on apples, but Indy doesn’t mind plain bread. “We just gotta figure out _how_ to do that.” He gathers everything he needs—cheese, meat, mayo, mustard—from the fridge and drops them all onto the kitchen counter. The bread slips out of the breadbox and floats over to him. “Thanks, kiddo.”

Indy lifts itself up onto the countertop beside Ryan’s makeshift workstation and watches as Ryan puts together three sandwiches and throws two pieces of plain wheat bread onto a plate.

“Can you carry your plate?” Ryan asks as he reaches for the others.

Indy trills and hops off the counter, floating slowly until its inky black feet hit the ground. It wanders out of the kitchen and one by one, each plate lifts off the countertop to follow. Ryan sighs and follows the floating train of paper plates laden with sandwiches. In the living room, two plates sit on the coffee table, one floats beside Indy, and the other is in Littlefoot’s hand.

“Success,” Shane says as Ryan comes to sit beside him. “She loves it.”

“Who knows how long she’s been alone? She could be really hungry.”

_ Two days. _

“Two days? She’s been alone for _two days_?” Shane accepts the plate from Ryan when he passes it over, but he doesn’t move to pick up his sandwich.

Indy chirps in confirmation.  _She’s been alright. Just scared._

“Still.” Shane stares at Littlefoot, who’s now reclining against him, the picture of comfort. “That’s…”

“We’ll get her home,” Ryan says. He lays a hand on Shane’s shoulder. “C’mon, brainstorm. How are we gonna get Littlefoot back to her mama?”

“Could Mothman help?” Shane says around a mouthful of sandwich. He looks over at Indy and swallows before asking, “Like, you two can teleport anywhere. Could your dad help us find out where her mama is?”

Indy hums, antennae flicking.  _No, he’s busy right now. I don’t know when he’ll be back._

“Damn.” Shane grunts as Littlefoot shifts around in his lap to face him instead. “Hey, kiddo,” he says. He sets his half-finished sandwich aside. “Don’t you worry, okay? We’ll figure something out.”

“We could start with Willow Creek, maybe head back to Six Rivers?” Ryan demolishes his own sandwich quickly, and the paper plate disappears with a faint _pop_.

“We do have vacation time.”

“What if we don’t find anything there?”

“You mean like last time? Wait, will you wear the helmet and vest again?”

Ryan groans. “No, I won’t.”

“Pity.” Shane raises his hand and immediately Littlefoot raises her hand; she slaps her palm against Shane’s and grins. “You’re the research master,” Shane says. “Where do we find Bigfoots?”

Ryan sighs. “I’ll grab my laptop.”

The answer is, you can find Bigfoots in a _lot_ of places. Supposedly. Ryan narrows his search to only the Pacific coast, despite the numerous news stories of sightings in Florida and Pennsylvania. In a notebook, he writes down the places with the highest number of sightings and the most reputable accounts of Bigfoot encounters. Really, the list is more exhaustive than it needs to be.

Shane peers over his shoulder a few hours after they’re home. His lap is finally free of Littlefoot as she plays on the ground with Indy. “That’s way too many places, we don’t have enough vacation time for that.”

“I know.” Ryan pinches at the bridge of his nose. “But what if we miss something? What if we skip a place and her mom is there?”

Shane’s lips twist as he considers Ryan’s words. “We could turn it into another Bigfoot centric episode?”

“You’re suggesting we get Buzzfeed to pay for this.”

“I mean, they kind of did last time.”

Ryan laughs. “I don’t think we can sell them on a,” he counts the stops on his list so far, “fifteen-part Bigfoot episode.”

Shane tsks. “Not with that attitude, you can’t.” Shane slides a little closer, until his forehead is almost knocking against Ryan’s as he peers at the notebook. “Six Rivers feels like the safest bet to start with, right?”

“Right.” That had been Ryan’s thought as well, even though they didn’t find anything last time. “Bluff Creek has quite a few specific sightings, too. Some of the earliest ones.”

“Then we’ll do Bluff Creek, if we don’t find anything at Six Rivers.” Shane reaches out and actually pulls the notebook from Ryan’s lap. Ryan watches as his eyes scan the list and the myriad of notes. “Hand me a pen.”

Ryan passes his pen over. While Shane makes notes on his notes, Ryan sits up straight and listens to his back pop and crack. He’s been hunched over researching for too long, and he’s getting too old to keep doing this. A _pop_ sounds and suddenly his lap is warm, full of Indy.

“Hey,” he says as he helps Indy settle against his chest. He rests his chin on top of Indy’s head, between its antennae. “You two having fun?”

Littlefoot wanders over, a toy in her hand, and leans on Shane’s knees. She makes what Ryan thinks is an agreeable noise, but he’s not completely sure.

_ Good time, _ Indy assures.  _She trusts you two._

“Oh, well. Thanks, Littlefoot.”

Shane still hasn’t looked up from their notes and the pen is still whipping across the page as he continues doing whatever it is he’s doing. Ryan stares at him for a few moments, equal parts fond and a little annoyed, before looking down at Littlefoot. She’s staring up at Shane too, but she looks especially entranced by the movement of the pen.

“Littlefoot,” Ryan starts, and he waits until the big brown eyes are on him. “How did you get separated from your mom? Maybe it’ll give us a clue or something.”

Littlefoot’s brow furrows uncertainly. She lets out a faint growl and drops her gaze.

_ She wandered off, _ Indy supplies.  _She and her family were visiting. She wandered off and got lost._

“Your mom is probably worried sick,” Ryan says, a pang ringing heavy in his own chest. He remembers when Indy disappeared—and they found it only hours later. He can’t imagine not having seen Indy for two days straight without knowing where it was. Ryan pats the minimal space on the couch between him and Shane. “C’mere, maybe you can help, too.”

Littlefoot sets the ball on the coffee table, so gently and carefully it’s almost hilarious, before climbing onto the couch. She tugs at Shane’s jeans and Ryan’s hand to clamber up and falls into the tiny space with a grunt.

“Do you know city names at all?” Ryan asks. Out of the corner of his eye, he watches Shane finally set the notebook in his lap and click the pen so it’s capped.

Littlefoot stares up at Ryan first, then Shane. She blinks.

“How about this,” Shane says. He holds up the notebook again and points at where Ryan’s scrawl reads _Six Rivers Nat. Forest_. “Do you know this place? Six Rivers?”

A beat, then Littlefoot shakes her head. Shane tries again next with the Oregon Caves monument, then Mount Hood, then Okanogan County, all to no avail.

“Okay, so any of these could be it, or…not.” Shane bites his lip as he looks at the list again. Beside him, Littlefoot makes a quiet, distressed noise. Immediately, Shane drops the notebook and reaches an arm around the creature to hug her against his side. “No, it’s okay, you did great. We’re gonna just have to wing it.”

The thought of _winging it_ freaks Ryan out a little bit, but he knows Shane’s right. There’s really no other option.

“Let me see that,” Ryan says as he reaches for the notebook. “Jesus, your notes are worse than mine.”

“I’ve starred the places I think are our best bet. If we drive without stopping and traffic doesn't suck, it’ll be a thirteen-hour drive from Six Rivers to Okanogan.”

“But we’re definitely going to be stopping,” Ryan says. “And staying in hotels, and trekking through some woods.” He’s already feeling bone-tired about this. A part of him wants to suggest they wait until Mothman isn’t off saving another dimension or whatever, because he’d definitely have a better idea of what to do.

“Right.” Shane combs his hand through Littlefoot’s hair. It’s surprisingly untangled under his touch. “Here’s what I’m thinking…”

Shane details his plan and Ryan hangs on every word: get a hotel in NoCal, check out Six Rivers and Bluff Creek, then drive to the Oregon Caves monument. Stay the night, and if the caves are a bust, then head to Mount Hood National Forest and stay in Portland before continuing. Next would be Ape Canyon, with a stop in Seattle, before heading four hours east to Okanogan County. All told, one day in California, and then two or three days each in Oregon and Washington.

Ryan is at once caught between love and affection for Shane, and the hilarity of it all. “Is this how Steven felt when Andrew decided he wanted to start planning some Worth It episodes?”

Shane stops short in his continued explanation of hotels and timing and whatever else to look at Ryan. “What?”

“I just never thought I’d see the day when you were, like, planning an investigation.”

“Planning a trip to return a missing child is significantly different from planning an ep for BUN.” Even so, Shane is kind of grinning, and kind of blushing.

“You’re so stupid, it’s totally the same. C’mere.” Ryan reaches out and hooks a finger in Shane’s collar to tug him in for a kiss. Sweet and soft, it breaks quickly. “We need to call work then, let ‘em know we won’t be back for like, eight or nine days.”

“And we need to pack. And call, like, TJ or Mark and ask them to come by and feed Obi.”

Ryan swallows a groan. Indy flicks an antenna against his cheek. “You call, I pack?”

“Fine.” Shane kisses him again before rising from the couch. “Only because I know you’ll unpack and repack everything I do anyway.” He fishes his phone from the pocket of his chinos and brings it to his ear after a few quick taps. “Still too early for dinner?”

“It’s stew, if you start it now, it’ll keep.”

“Awesome.” Shane stops as the other end of the line clicks. “Hey! It’s Shane, one sec.” Shane puts the phone against his shoulder as he says, “You two wanna come help me make dinner?” to Indy and Littlefoot. After a few squeaks and emphatic nods, the three of them are off to the kitchen, with Shane’s voice carrying as he requests their time off. Obi appears from wherever cats disappear to when they don’t want to be found and follows Shane into the kitchen as well. He still seems skittish around Littlefoot, but not enough to avoid being around Shane—or his food dish—any longer. 

Ryan stays on the couch, fingertips still fiddling over the notebook. From his spot, he can watch as Shane cradles the phone between his ear and shoulder while he struggles to keep all the needed ingredients in his arms. Littlefoot follows closely at his heels, endlessly curious, while Indy has floated onto the counter and watches contently. When a potato starts to slip from Shane’s grasp, Indy saves it from hitting the floor and sets it on the counter beside the cutting board and knife.

Shane has always moved in the kitchen with an admirable sort of grace. It was a big thing when they first had Indy—Ryan, despite having an apartment to himself, had never really let go of his frat boy mentality. Now Ryan kind of knows how to cook, thanks to Shane; he still much prefers watching the other man cook, though.

Currently, Shane’s typical grace in the kitchen is hindered by Littlefoot, but in a cute way. Ryan surreptitiously reaches for his phone and starts recording as Littlefoot follows Shane from one end of the kitchen to the other, in and out of the camera’s sight. She reaches for him sometimes and trips him up and stares at him with unending curiosity. Ryan figures she’s allowed. For all the theories and debate on how civilized the Bigfoot community is, he doubts she’s ever seen anything like this.

“Are you just gonna sit there, or are you gonna help?” Shane hollers as Littlefoot tries to heave herself onto the counter beside Indy, where a couple bowls of potatoes, carrots, and onions sit.

Ryan stops recording on his phone and staggers to his feet. “I’m coming.”

He bends to scoop Littlefoot into his arms and she fights him for a second, but when it’s clear he’s not taking her anywhere, she settles. She peers at the cutting board and Shane’s hands moving deftly with the knife.

“She’s so curious,” Ryan remarks. “You were never this curious,” he says to Indy.

Indy gives him a short, clipped chirp in response, along with a flick of an antennae.

“Just because you’re an interdimensional being does not mean you knew everything already,” Ryan replies easily; he doesn’t need Indy’s voice in his head to know what it meant. “I just mean, you never followed me around like this.”

“You had Indy in a wrap or the Babybjörn pretty much constantly. It never needed to.” Shane leans over to the sink to rinse his hands briefly before moving on to the beef sitting on the counter. Clearly, he’d had the foresight to pull it out the night before, because Ryan sure didn’t but the beef definitely isn’t frozen. He starts to cut into it with a sharper knife.

“I know,” Ryan says, only a touch petulant. “It ended up being the smart thing, didn’t it? Who knows what would’ve happened.”

Shane stops slicing and sets the knife down. He tilts his head enough to smile at Ryan, a look on his face that makes Ryan’s gut twist pleasantly, a warmth filling him from his toes up. “You’re such a worrier,” he says, soft and almost unbearably fond. “Yes, it was a good thing. And it’s a good thing for both our backs that Littlefoot is too big for any kind of Babybjörn.”

Shane leans over Littlefoot’s head to kiss Ryan again, then after a second’s consideration, he drops a kiss to the top of Littlefoot’s head, too.

_ What about me? _

Shane turns around quick and, despite one hand definitely being damp from handling the meat, he strides over to Indy and presses a kiss between its antennae too. “I’d never forget you, c’mon, kiddo.”

Indy trills and kicks its feet, pleased.

Ryan doesn’t move from Shane’s side as he cooks, even as his arms start to get kind of tired from holding Littlefoot. She’s not as heavy as he would’ve expected, but then again, he doesn’t know how old she is in Bigfoot years. He doesn’t even know if the rumors about the size of Bigfoots are even _true_, so for all he knows, they’re all the size of Littlefoot and her name is terrible.

He tells Shane this theory, and Shane laughs so hard he almost upends the whole container of garlic powder into the pan.

“How did we end up here again?” Ryan asks as he climbs into bed beside Shane. “Are we just, like…”

“Cursed?”

“I don’t wanna call it cursed, cuz it’s not like it’s a _bad_ thing.”

Shane hums. “True. Blessed?”

From the living room, there’s a loud shriek and a loud growl in rapid succession. “Not sure I’d call it a blessing, either.”

Shane rolls his eyes. Ryan sinks into bed beside him and pillows his head on Shane’s chest. “We are fated,” Shane declares. “Maybe Mothman has been spreading the word.”

“If Mama Bigfoot just wanted us to babysit her kid, I’m gonna be kind of pissed.”

“Me too.” Shane kisses his forehead. “Maybe that’s what we should do when we get older.”

“Be mad at Mama Bigfoot?” Ryan asks, raising his head.

“No, dummy,” Shane says. “A daycare, for cryptid kids.”

Ryan blinks. “You want to run a cryptid daycare together?”

“When we’re old, sure. I bet there’s a market for it. We could get Mothman and Mama Bigfoot to send their friends our way. It’d be great, right?”

“I mean, yeah, it’d be…I’d like that.” 

Shane isn’t looking at him as he speaks; his eyes have already slid shut. 

Ryan shakes his head fondly, unseen by his boyfriend, and asks, “What would we tell our families we do?”

“Kids have great imaginations. We could probably have it be a normal daycare, too.”

“Have you thought about this a lot?”

Shane’s saved from answering by their bedroom door creaking open. He starts to sit up and Ryan goes with him. It’s dark, but not so much that they can’t see Indy and Littlefoot in the doorway.

Ryan and Shane share a glance before grinning. Shane claps his hands together. “Alright, looks like we’re building a pillowfort! Sleepover in the living room!”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shane’s footsteps hit the top of the stairs and their luggage disappears with three overlapping _pops_. Ryan looks over from the couch just to confirm that their luggage is no longer sitting by the door. Littlefoot looks up from where she’s playing with Indy—or rather, where she’s laying on her back, swatting at Indy who floats a few feet above her head—to watch Shane come down the stairs. Obi sits at the top of the stairs, watching them; there’s a smattering of orange fur on Shane’s shirt that speaks to several minutes spent cuddling Obi, and Ryan smiles. 
> 
> “Alright, Transformers, roll out!” Shane says as he hits the bottom step.
> 
> “Oh my god.” Ryan heaves himself off the couch. “You’re like a walking Progressive commercial. You’re becoming your father.”
> 
> “You say that like you aren’t fucking loving it, Bergara.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is subtitled "the one where Erin finally understands how fucking big California is, compared to her limited experience of traveling across states." 
> 
> Let's get this show on the road, literally! 
> 
> Enjoy!

Ryan wakes the next morning with a crick in his neck and Shane staring down at him. It’s too warm under the pillow and blanket fort, and the air is kind of stuffy, but the early morning sunshine streaming in casts the whole thing in an amber glow. Shane’s smile widens fractionally when he realizes Ryan’s awake.

“Hey,” he says, leaning down to kiss Ryan. Ryan kisses him back in lieu of answering, bringing a sleep-heavy hand up to cup Shane’s cheek. “The kids aren’t in the fort,” Shane says against his lips.

For a moment, Ryan thinks, _great, a second alone_, and he kisses Shane a little harder, a little deeper. His hand slips into Shane’s hair and knots in the already mussed mop of brown hair. Then Shane’s words sink in, and Ryan rears back, the kiss breaking with a sloppy, wet sound. “What?”

Shane is still grinning at him, so Ryan figures Indy and Littlefoot probably didn’t just _vanish_. “They just wanted our bed,” he says. He leans back and grabs his phone, on the floor beside him, and pulls up his photos. “I got up to take a leak and realized they weren’t with us, lo and behold….” He holds out the phone for Ryan to see.

It’s a picture of Indy and Littlefoot, curled up in the enormous bed. They’d gotten a blanket from Indy’s room, and Indy brought its favorite pillow along even though it’s too big to sit on comfortably anymore. Littlefoot is curled up tight, almost in a ball, hair fanning out all across the sheets.

“What brats,” Ryan says around a yawn. “They tricked us!”

Shane laughs. “Sure did.” He tosses his phone aside after locking it and puts his hand on Ryan’s hip instead. “We’ve got a little time before we have to wake them up, though.”

Ryan, already overheated from the pillowfort, flushes hot and sweat trickles at the back of his neck. “They could walk out at any second,” he says, voice now a whisper.

Shane shrugs. “Just wanna kiss you, Ry.”

Ryan swallows. His hand returns to Shane’s hair and he tugs the other man closer. It’s definitely too warm to be pressed all together like this inside the fort; breathing is hard when the air is stale and they both taste like morning breath, but neither of them stop. Shane’s hand flexes on Ryan’s hip, burning like a brand, and his tongue slides against Ryan’s.

Ryan lets out a whine and is about to say fuck it, ready to reach for the hem of his and Shane’s shirts, when a thought bursts into his head.

_ We’re coming out. _

He groans. “Shane—?”

“I heard,” Shane says, already pushing up and off of Ryan’s body. He places a final kiss to the tip of Ryan’s nose. “C’mon, up and at ‘em.”

“God, you turn into such a dad when Indy’s around,” Ryan says, not unkind. “Up and at ‘em, we’re burning daylight, who even are you?”

Shane pushes at the top of the fort and sends it toppling to one side so he can stand, pulling Ryan up with him. “Shane Madej, baby, Dad Extraordinaire.” He puffs out his chest as he speaks and shoots Ryan a wink. “Just wait till I figure out how to embarrass Indy. It’ll be great.”

“You’re the worst.”

Shane leads him toward the bedroom where the door is slightly ajar. A soft push has it swinging open to reveal Indy sitting up, big red eyes staring at the door. Littlefoot is still sitting up, looking groggy. “Who wants breakfast?”

_ Me _ , Indy says inside their heads before amending, after a glance at Littlefoot, _Us._

“Bacon, eggs, and toast?”

Littlefoot grunts, her legs swinging over the side of the bed. Shane nods, clearly taking it for an agreement. Shane squeezes Ryan’s hand and presses a kiss to his cheek.

“Can you make sure Indy packs whatever it needs to?” Shane asks. “And I’ll help you pack our stuff after breakfast?”

The domesticity of the statement burns like a fireplace inside Ryan’s gut. “Yeah, of course. Brush your fucking teeth though, dude.”

“Back atcha, sweetheart,” Shane says with a blinding grin. Then he’s off to the kitchen, and Ryan has to herd Littlefoot and Indy to Indy’s bedroom (after a trip to brush his teeth, because he’s not a heathen like his boyfriend.)

Packing for a trip with Indy is something they’ve never really done before, and Ryan realizes quickly it’s a lot harder than he expected. Maybe it’s his fault—it’s not like _Mothman_ is the one who instilled a love of jaunty hats and adorable shirts in Indy. That was all Ryan, aided at times by Shane.

“It’s both our faults,” Ryan mutters to himself as Indy floats yet another shirt over to him. “Indy, at most we’re gonna be gone for a week and you only wear shirts like, fifty percent of the time. Do you really need all of these?”

Floating by its closet with Littlefoot at its side, Indy whirls around and narrows its big red eyes at Ryan.

Ryan sighs. “Do you have anything that would fit Littlefoot, at least?”

Indy’s antennae twitch and it whirls around again. There’s the sound of clothes being rifled through, but Ryan watches as Indy does nothing more than stare intently into its closet. It’s kind of unsettling. He looks down at the overstuffed suitcase on Indy’s bed with another sigh.

“How about you guys share? Some of this stuff is still too big for you Indy, it would work for Littlefoot too.” Ryan picks up a shirt as evidence—he’s actually pretty sure it’s one of Shane’s shirts. Whatever. It would fit Littlefoot like a slightly baggy tee, and it would practically be a dress on Indy.

Indy floats over to him and drops onto the suitcase, wings fluttering.

“You can share,” Ryan answers the unspoken pout. “You two are friends! Friends share!”

Littlefoot growls quietly by the door. In her hands is one of Indy’s hats, blue and wide-brimmed with a leafy accent on top. Littlefoot gingerly places it on her own head and Ryan’s filled with a rush of fondness.

“Look at how cute she is. You two would look so cute together, if you would _share_.”

Indy blinks up at Ryan and he can practically feel the uncertainty radiating off the mothbaby. For all its chatter of being “all-knowing,” Ryan finds Indy is still like a regular kid in a lot of ways. That is, easily susceptible to bribery, begging, and a dash of manipulative compliments.

Indy trills and inside Ryan’s head, the word “_Fine,_” rings out.

“Oh thank god. Okay, no more shirts, you each get one hat for the trip, and when I come back this better be packed up and ready to go. Got it?”

Indy hits Ryan with an antenna, a soft _thwap_, before floating over to Littlefoot once more. Ryan backs away slowly, but once it’s clear that all his hard work packing up the suitcase isn’t about to be undone, he turns and leaves Indy’s room.

Shane walks out of the kitchen, drying his hands. “Breakfast is ready. Made ‘em into sandwiches so we can take them on the road with us.”

“Great.” Ryan rubs at his eyes. He already feels exhausted.

“I’ll take the first shift driving,” Shane says as he comes up to Ryan, placing a still slightly wet hand on his hip.

“You drove all day yesterday.”

Shane shrugs. “You can nap for a bit. I don’t mind.” Shane kisses his forehead. “You wanna shower and I’ll get the suitcases out?”

“Or we could shower together and save, y’know. Water. Time. Whatever.”

“I’d love to save whatever with you, but I don’t think leaving the two of them,” he jerks his head toward Indy’s room, “Unsupervised is the best course of action.”

“You’re no fun.”

“False, I am absolutely the fun parent.” Shane gives him a little shove toward their room and therefore toward the en suite.

“I’m a fun parent!” Ryan retorts. “I’m super fun!”

“Yes, dear, you’re wonderful,” Shane tells him in a tone that’s equally mocking and not. “Now go shower.”

Ryan grabs a towel from the hall closet before stumbling into their bedroom. “Fine,” he whines, drawn out and pitchy. Sue him, Indy’s only been around for two days and it feels like ages since he and Shane had time to themselves, including this morning. It’s an adjustment—one that happens every time Indy visits unannounced, and one Ryan hasn’t quite gotten used to yet.

He showers quickly and redresses in the en suite, and when he walks out, their bed is covered in two suitcases, two cryptid children, and a mess of their clothes.

“Good job, Shane,” he says.

“Listen,” Shane replies from the bed, where he’s practically being smothered by Littlefoot laying on him. “She wanted to cuddle, how could I say no?”

Ryan can’t really argue with him there. “You need to shower.”

“In a minute.”

And that’s how Ryan ends up packing both their suitcases with clothes, including a few extra things from Indy’s room, while Shane remains on the bed with Littlefoot against his chest. By the time everything is packed, Shane has moved precisely one leg off the bed, toes brushing the floor.

“Here,” Ryan says after he sets their suitcases by the bedroom door. “I’ll take her, you really need to shower. I’m not riding in a car with you for, like, eleven hours with you smelling like you haven’t showered in two days.” He picks Littlefoot up off Shane’s chest with a grunt, and after a second’s pause, she winds her arms around Ryan’s neck and tucks her wrinkly, whiskered face against his neck.

Shane sniffs pointedly at his pits. “You’ve been around me when I’ve smelled worse.”

“Amazingly enough, big guy, I am not itching to repeat such an experience.”

Shane shrugs and strides to the en suite. “Hey Indy,” he says, stopping at the doorway, “Why don’t you help Daddy Bergara load up the car?” Then he disappears into the bathroom, door shutting with a loud click.

“What is your obsession with this whole daddy thing? Daddy Bergara, Mothdaddy, should I be concerned?”

“It’s funny!” Shane hollers through the door. “Let Indy help you load up the car!”

Ryan looks to Indy, who’s already standing on its inky black feet. “Alright, hurry up,” he says at the bathroom door. 

“You’re the one who agreed we could leave by ten!”

“I’m not having this argument again!” he says before turning away.

They’d spent part of last night, under the cover of the fort, debating the merits of leaving as early as possible to get to Six Rivers while it was still daylight out. It’s a long fucking drive to NoCal, one they’ve never attempted with two cryptid kids in tow. Sure, the flight back from Virginia hadn’t been bad, but that was when Indy was really just a _baby_, and neither of them want to try bringing Littlefoot on a plane, just in case. Neither of them had wanted to wake the kids up too early, either, so here they are, gearing up to leave by ten in the morning, ready to arrive in Six Rivers by ten in the evening, and spend all of tomorrow searching through the woods.

Littlefoot sniffles against his neck, a sleepy and lazy sound, and Ryan feels invigorated, reminded of why he’s doing this. At the doorway to their bedroom, his and Shane’s suitcases lift off the ground and float into the hallway, accompanied by Indy’s marginally smaller luggage. All three suitcases float downstairs and land with a thud. Ryan watches as he and Indy and Littlefoot trail a few paces behind.

“You could just teleport them into the car,” Ryan points out.

Indy shrugs. _Later._

Ryan doesn’t bother arguing. “How about you guys eat, then? While Shane gets ready?” He’s met with a chorus of trilling and happy grunting, and Ryan herds the kids into the kitchen. 

Shane’s footsteps hit the top of the stairs and their luggage disappears with three overlapping _pops_. Ryan looks over from the couch just to confirm that their luggage is no longer sitting by the door. Littlefoot looks up from where she’s playing with Indy—or rather, where she’s laying on her back, swatting at Indy who floats a few feet above her head—to watch Shane come down the stairs. Obi sits at the top of the stairs, watching them; there’s a smattering of orange fur on Shane’s shirt that speaks to several minutes spent cuddling Obi, and Ryan smiles. 

“Alright, Transformers, roll out!” Shane says as he hits the bottom step.

“Oh my god.” Ryan heaves himself off the couch. “You’re like a walking Progressive commercial. You’re becoming your father.”

“You say that like you aren’t fucking loving it, Bergara.”

“Language,” Ryan replies, mostly out of instinct, since he’s still not sure how much Littlefoot understands and he knows Indy has long since started swearing. It just doesn’t do it around them often, because it knows it kind of gives Ryan a heart attack.

Shane rolls his eyes and places his hand at the small of Ryan’s back. “Let’s go, you dork.”

“You got the keys?”

“Yes.”

“We packed phone chargers, right?”

“Yes, _and_ you have your wallet.” For emphasis, Shane pats at Ryan’s ass, where sure enough, his wallet is resting in his back pocket. “And I have mine.” Shane slaps his own ass, louder and obnoxiously. “Got your laptop?”

_ In the car, _ Indy says.

Ryan looks behind him at Indy, floating along beside Littlefoot. “Thanks, buddy.” He hadn’t even thought of bringing it, really. It almost feels like they’re going on vacation.

“Okay, c’mon,” Shane says as he pulls open the front door. “This is like herding cats, let’s go, ándale!” He waves them all out of the house: Ryan, then Indy, and finally Littlefoot, who stops at Shane’s feet. He doesn’t even hesitate, just says, “Alright, kiddo, c’mere,” and bends to scoop her into his arms yet again. “You’re gonna be so spoiled for walking when we get you back to your mama.”

“Maybe they’re like monkeys, and she rides on her mom’s back.” Ryan watches Shane slowly take the porch steps before heading toward the car. He keeps one hand curled under Littlefoot’s bottom and the other across her back, hand at her neck to support her. She’s more of an armful than Indy ever was, that’s for sure.

Shane hums. “Maybe. Think Mama Bigfoot will give us the low down? Maybe she’ll be a little more forthcoming than Mothman.”

“It’s not his fault,” Ryan insists. He watches Indy _pop_ into the car before coming around to the other side to open the door for Shane so he can help Littlefoot into the seat again. “Interdimensional secrets are like, the secrets of the universe. Would you trust me with those?”

“Definitely not. Can you check Indy’s seatbelt, please?”

“Yeah.” Ryan pulls open the door and ignores Indy’s petulant little trill. “We’ve got a long drive,” Ryan chides. “Yes, I know you could teleport us all to safety if need be. That does not mean you aren’t going to buckle in properly.” He reaches out and tests the tightness of its belt, and actually loosens it a bit before patting at Indy’s stomach. “You good?”

Indy’s antennae brush soft against his cheek, _thwapping_ quietly. _I’m good._

Ryan grins down at Indy and ruffles the fur between its antennae. “We’re good here, Shane.” He looks up and barely avoids startling at the intense gaze he finds watching him: two pairs of brown eyes watching him intently. Shane’s got that dopey grin on his face, and Littlefoot looks like she’s almost smiling. Can Bigfoots smile?

Ryan ducks his head. “We’re burning daylight,” he says.

Shane laughs. “Alright, alright. Let’s go.”

They manage to get through the first three hours amazingly quick, with no bathroom breaks or insane traffic. A glance in the rearview mirror tells Ryan that this is almost certainly Indy’s doing, just like the other times it’s warped traffic for them, or gotten them really good deals when nothing is on sale, or _whatever_. He doesn’t have the heart to chastise Indy, because, well. It’s not like he _wanted_ to be in a car for eleven or twelve hours. At this rate, they might get to Six Rivers before nine!

“I’ll drive,” Ryan says as they gas up. Indy is toddling around the car, stretching its little legs. Littlefoot is practically glued to Shane’s leg as he stands by the pump. “You can stretch out a bit, if Indy doesn’t mind taking the middle backseat.”

_ I don’t mind, _ Indy says, pausing in its laps precisely long enough to bump against Ryan’s legs before carrying on.

“Yeah, alright. Shouldn’t be too bad, as long as Indy keeps working its magic.”

“It’s probably not ethical to let our godchild just, like, mess with traffic however it feels like, huh?” Ryan asks. He leans against the car and watches as Indy trots another lap around the car.

“Nope,” Shane agrees. “But am I going to stop it? No way in hell.”

The pump comes to a stop with a click and Shane gently nudges Littlefoot toward Ryan so he can remove the pump and return it to its hook. Littlefoot relaxes against Ryan’s legs but watches Shane’s movements, eyes never straying.

“She’s really taken to you, man,” Ryan says.

“Is this where you finally make a joke about my height?”

Ryan bites down on a grin. “Well, since you brought it up—!” Shane darts over to kiss him before reaching out to take Littlefoot’s hand. “I wasn’t done mocking you!”

“Mock me inside, let’s grab the kids some treats.”

Ryan scoops up Indy, despite its somewhat indignant chirp, and follows Shane into the gas station. Yet again, Littlefoot’s face is bright with wonder and curiosity, while Indy relaxes in Ryan’s arms. In Shane’s free hand, he holds a basket and loads it up with packs of apple slices from the refrigerated section, a couple bottles of water even though they have some in the car, and an energy drink for him and Ryan. He also lets Littlefoot throw whatever she feels like into the basket—which ends up being a bag of Doritos, a peanut-butter-cracker snack pack, and an entire box of Pop-Tarts, all of which Ryan kind of wants to object to but doesn’t.

_ Juice, _ Indy says inside Ryan’s mind, and he detours to the case of juices. _Orange, please_.

Ryan grabs a bottle and meets Shane at the register.

The cashier smiles at them as he starts to ring it all up. “Looks like you two have got quite the handful, huh?”

Shane plasters on a grin that’s only partly fake. “They’re good kids,” he says, in that gentle and fond way of his. Ryan can’t help but lean into him a bit.

“They seem like it,” the cashier says. “Real cute.”

Ryan smiles down at Indy, reminded fondly of first bringing the mothbaby home. It never really gets old.

“You two have a safe trip, now,” the cashier tells them after he finishes ringing everything up. It comes to a totally normal total, just over twenty bucks, and once they’re back in the car, Ryan turns around to smile at Indy.

“Thank you, Indy,” he says.

Indy trills, and it sounds kind of like _of course_. A bag of apple slices floats out of the bag in Shane’s lap and to Indy. Ryan starts up the car and watches in the rearview as Indy pops the bag open and floats two slices over to Littlefoot, keeping the other two slices for itself.

“They _are_ good kids,” Ryan mumbles under his breath. He doesn’t mean to be heard, moreso just marveling at the fact that he and Shane haven’t totally fucked this up.

Shane claps him on the shoulder. “Yeah. We done good, Bergmeister.”

They make it another three hours without any stops or terrible traffic, but it seems that even Indy’s powers can’t keep things going smooth forever. They hit a bad spot of traffic just passing through Sacramento, and by the time they’re on an empty stretch of road again, Littlefoot is squirming in her seat.

“I think we should pull over,” Shane says, hesitant and slow. Ryan nods and puts on his blinker, coming to a stop along the shoulder of the empty road. Shane’s out of the car in the blink of an eye, rushing to Littlefoot’s side and helping her out. Ryan waits, watching as Shane walks her away from the road and toward some brush on the other side of the car.

“Jesus, we never had to do this with you, did we?” Ryan asks with a glance back at Indy. “I never even thought about it.”

Indy chirps but doesn’t otherwise respond, and Ryan ends up lost in his thoughts. He’s always considered raising Indy to be a lot like raising any other kid, not that he has a _ton_ of experience in that area. Like, the main goal is to keep them alive and love them unconditionally, right? Because he and Shane have got that shit on lock. But, he figures, Indy is maybe like a kid with training wheels. No potty breaks, no diapers, minimal tantrums. Sure, there was the demon, but Ryan wonders if that would almost pale in comparison to a baby waking up screaming because it’s hungry or whatever.

Ryan is yanked from his thoughts by Shane tapping on the passenger side window. Ryan hits the automatic switch to roll it down. “You left her?”

“She wanted privacy! She found a spot and kept shoving at me and wouldn’t stop looking at me until I turned around.”

A laugh bubbles up in Ryan’s throat. “I was just thinking, we never had to do this with Indy.”

“God, right?” Shane leans his arm against the door and peers into the car. It hunches him over at an awkward angle, and it can’t possibly be comfortable, but he looks fondly at Indy in the backseat. “I mean, Littlefoot at least seems like she knows what she’s doing, so that’s good.”

“We’re still getting off easy, then. Easier than, like, a regular child.” Ryan’s heart thuds at the thought, and he feels ridiculous for it. It’s not _weird_ for them to talk about this sort of thing. They’ve been dating a while, and it’s not like they’re going to go and adopt the first kid they see.

“A _human_ child,” Shane says, breezing by Ryan’s awkwardness as always. “Yes, I daresay human children are actually more work than cryptid children.” He stops and stands up straight, treating Ryan to a view of the small sliver of skin between his shirt and chinos. “Ready to go?” he asks, and Ryan tilts his head just slightly to see Littlefoot approaching the car again.

Shane helps her into the car and practically forces Ryan out of the driver’s seat so they can trade off.

“I could’ve kept going,” Ryan says as he buckles into the passenger seat.

“Maybe I want to drive, you ever think of that?” Shane replies. He peers over his shoulder at the empty road before pulling back onto the highway. “Besides, it’s only fair. This is an equal partnership, Ryan.” He says it loftily, like a joke, a bit. But there’s a glint in his eyes—or hell, maybe that’s the late afternoon sun, what does Ryan know?—that says it’s not as funny as it’s meant to be.

“It sure is, big guy,” Ryan says. He reaches out to rest a hand on Shane’s thigh. “It sure is.”

They don’t make it to the motel before nine, like Ryan had kind of hoped. Traffic got shitty again and not even Indy’s powers could make it better. They roll into the motel parking lot a quarter shy of ten, which means they still shaved nearly two hours off the drive. They all slump out of the car feeling exhausted and cooped up. Thankfully, getting their room key is easy, and Indy and Littlefoot make a beeline for one of the beds as soon as Shane opens the door.

“So,” Ryan says, yawning, “we’ll hit up Six Rivers tomorrow, and Bluff Creek after that if we don’t find anything.”

“And then we’re off to Oregon, baby,” Shane says. “Just like we discussed.”

Ryan wanders over and falls onto the bed, fully-clothed and face-down. “Indy,” he says, voice muffled by the sheets, “are you sure Mothman can’t help us?”

_ Not right now. _

Ryan rolls over at Shane’s insistent prodding and stares up at the other man. “We’re totally crazy for doing this, aren’t we?”

“Oh absolutely,” Shane says. He keeps nudging at Ryan until they can squish together on the frankly too-small full bed. “But what else can we do?”

“Wait for Mothman to become available, for one.”

“We have no idea how long that could take.”

Ryan rubs at his eyes. “I know.” It’s a conversation they had on and off on the car ride up to Willow Creek.

“You’re not enthused by the idea of Bigfoot hunting?” Shane’s face morphs into something stricken. “Er, not hunting. Uh.”

“No, it’s not that,” Ryan says. He disregards Shane’s blunder with an amused grin. “It’s exciting. I’m just worried. What if we can’t find her mama?” He drops his voice to a hush, even though it’s quiet in the room and Littlefoot is probably listening regardless.

“Then we’ll figure something out,” Shane says just as quietly. His arm comes to rest on Ryan’s waist, and his head dips closer until his nose brushes Ryan’s cheek. “We figured it out with Indy, we can figure it out with Littlefoot, too.”

Ryan nods. He lays his hands over Shane’s arms and traces the veins and hair and little weird scars. “I…” he starts but stops. He doesn’t even know what to say; Shane’s right, they can figure it out. They’ve done it before, they can do it again. Ryan’s chest feels like a tangled nest of feelings he can’t quite parse through.

Shane combs a hand through his hair. “We got this, Ry.”

There’s a quiet grumbling to Ryan’s right, and he looks over to see Littlefoot standing beside their bed.

“You wanna come up?” Shane asks, already rising to his knees to lean over Ryan and help the baby Bigfoot onto the bed. Littlefoot growls excitedly and holds out her arms so Shane can lift her up. “There we go,” Shane says as Littlefoot settles between them. “Indy, you gonna join us?”

A _pop_ and Indy lands on Ryan’s chest, forcing a soft “oof” from his lips. The bed is definitely too small for all four of them to be crammed onto it like this, but Ryan knows none of them will be moving any time soon. _Pajamas are overrated,_ he thinks as Indy gets comfortable on his chest, wings fanned over his sides. Beside him, Littlefoot is a heavy, warm weight, and Shane reaches over her to rest a hand on Indy’s back.

Ryan drifts to sleep despite still feeling worried and despite being too warm.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Littlefoot lets out a soft growl, closer to a purr maybe. She looks at Shane, nods, and then turns to the mouth of the cave again. Ryan’s about to ask if she should cry out into the cave itself, because wouldn’t that be where Bigfoots are hiding? But she starts before he can say anything.
> 
> She starts off louder than she did at Six Rivers and Bluff Creek. Not quite a shout, but close. The sound grows and grows until dust shakes off from the ceiling of the cave and Ryan sneezes softly. Shane steps closer to him and watches, rapt, as Littlefoot’s growl echoes out into the air and across the trees.
> 
> Ryan holds his breath again and leans against Shane.
> 
> Then, impossibly, there’s a response.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't have a lot to say about this chapter, except shout out to my family friend Tamar, whose name I shamelessly stole for yet another cryptid OC.
> 
> Enjoy!

The next morning is a rush of showering as quickly as possible—one right after the other so there’s always at least one person watching Littlefoot and Indy, even though they’re still asleep—packing up what little they unpacked, and loading everything back into the car. Shane walks out of the room pulling one suitcase, with Littlefoot cradled in one arm, and Ryan is close on his heels with a suitcase in either hand and Indy atop his shoulders, effectively asleep against his head. The front desk clerk doesn’t give them a second glance as they check out and before long, they’re on the road, driving the last couple miles to Six Rivers.

Littlefoot and Indy are still asleep in the back by the time they arrive. Ryan throws the car into park and smiles at the rearview mirror.

“So what’s the game plan?” Shane asks. His voice is quiet, but Ryan watches one of Indy’s antennae twitch.

“Uh…” Ryan hadn’t strictly thought about what to do once they got to this point. “Make Bigfoot calls and hope something happens?”

Shane blinks at him, face blank.

“Maybe it’ll work this time, since we have Littlefoot!” Ryan crosses his arms over his chest. They should’ve stopped to get coffee; his eyes are too heavy and his brain is too foggy for this. “I dunno, man. I’m winging it here, just like last time.”

Shane sinks into his seat. “There’s no way we can cover all of Six Rivers.”

“I feel like…wouldn’t Mama Bigfoot be able to sense Littlefoot? You’d think, right?”

“Anything’s possible,” Shane says. Not quite an agreement, but Ryan will take it. Shane rubs his hands over his face. “We might as well get started, it’s gonna take an hour to get to Bluff Creek.”

They agree to trade off who’s holding who when the kids want to be held. Shane takes the first shift with Littlefoot since she’s so attached to him, and Ryan cradles Indy in his arms until the mothbaby wakes up and decides to float along beside them. The trails are a lot less menacing in the daylight, and Ryan’s surprised by how empty the forest is. No hikers, no bikers, just the four of them wandering through the woods and occasionally trying one of the Bigfoot calls.

When Littlefoot wakes up, they stop long enough to pass around a water bottle. Ryan crouches beside her.

“Littlefoot, can you try calling for your mama?”

Big brown eyes blink at him. Her mouth opens, revealing mostly human teeth save for some that look preternaturally sharp. Ryan leans back as her growl starts quiet and soft before growing until the trees above are rattling with it. When she closes her mouth, the growl still echoes deep into the forest, and Ryan realizes he’s holding his breath as they wait for a response.

When minutes pass and there’s nothing, Ryan gulps down air, feeling disappointed.

“Let’s go a little deeper and try again,” he says. He holds out his hand and Littlefoot takes it, content to walk beside him. Meanwhile, Indy perches on Shane’s shoulders, his big hands curled around its inky black feet. “If we don’t get a response, then we’ll turn back and head to Bluff Creek.”

They keep walking and the silence almost unsettles Ryan. Not just the silence of the forest, which is weird enough on its own, but the silence between him and Shane. It feels like a content quiet, but not quite comfortable. Ryan knows he’s getting increasingly worried as they wander deeper into the forest without a sign of Bigfoot, and he wonders if the nervous energy radiates off him. He wonders if Shane really believes they’ll get Littlefoot home, or if he’s just putting on a brave face for Ryan’s sake.

Shane stops, looking around. “I think we were here last time,” he says.

Ryan has no idea how he knows that, since it all looks the same. It’s beautiful, yes, and lovely, but this patch of grass and trees doesn’t look any different to Ryan than the last patch. All the same, he looks down at Littlefoot and tells her to try again.

She lets out the same growl as before, starting soft and growing until Ryan’s ears are ringing. The forest feels even more still in the wake of the noise, but there’s still no response. Ryan can’t help the crushing disappointment he feels. He looks up at the feeling of a hand on his shoulder to see Shane smiling sadly at him.

“Alright, let’s head back,” Shane says. “To Bluff Creek it is.”

They trade off: Indy _pops_ onto Ryan’s shoulders and Littlefoot clambers onto Shane’s back, and then they’re off, headed back toward the car.

“You don’t sense anything, Indy?” Ryan asks as they wind their way back along the trail.

_ No _ , it says inside both their heads. _Nothing._

“Maybe all the Bigfoot stories from this area are just, like, migratory,” Shane says. “Like, the Bigfoot seen in this area were just passing through.”

The idea is ridiculous, especially since it’s coming from _Shane_. Ryan bursts into laughter. “That’s not a bad idea, big guy,” he says, still giggling. “They were just some tourists trying to enjoy a vacation and then people started taking pictures of them and shit.”

Shane snorts behind him. “Exactly. No wonder they don’t come out as often anymore. If people did that to me on my vacation, I’d be pissed too.”

The mirth carries them back to the car. They don’t clamber inside right away; instead, they set the kids on the hood of the car and get out snacks from their bags: a lukewarm water bottle, sweating with condensation, a couple apples snagged from the motel buffet, and the bag of Doritos. Littlefoot munches happily on the chips while Ryan, Shane, and Indy all bite into their apples. Or, well, in Indy’s case, while it makes the apple disappear.

“Do you think Mama Bigfoot will be pissed at us for letting her have chips?”

“It’s not like we have a lot of options,” Shane replies. “I think she’ll understand.”

“Do you think she’ll be taller than you?”

Shane tilts his head consideringly. “You said full grown ones get up to like, what almost eight feet tall? She’s gotta turn out taller than me, right?”

“You won’t be weirded out or ‘concerned,’” Ryan makes air quotes, “by their height? You said you worry about anyone taller than you.”

“Humans that are taller than me,” Shane clarifies. “I worry about _humans_ that are taller than me.”

“Are you sure _you’re_ even human? Maybe you’ll find out you and Littlefoot are related.”

Shane rolls his eyes and aims a kick at Ryan’s shins. “C’mon, eat up. Let’s go.” Shane reaches out to wipe at the corner of Ryan’s mouth, thumb coming away with a bit of apple on it. “Are you ready, kids?” Shane says after wiping his hand on his jeans. It’s a terrible pirate accent.

“Indy’s never even seen SpongeBob SquarePants. Littlefoot definitely hasn’t.”

“You don’t know that,” Shane says as he herds Littlefoot to her usual spot behind the driver’s seat. “Maybe there’s a cabin in her woods that gets cable television or something. She liked it, she totally recognizes it!” he insists. And it’s true, Littlefoot had grinned at the accent, mouth spreading into a wide and toothy smile.

Ryan shakes his head. “She just likes you, idiot.”

“Well that’s something she has in common with you then.” Shane winks before climbing into the driver’s seat.

Ryan tries to share a fondly long-suffering look with Indy, but the mothbaby disappears with a _pop_ into the backseat.

It takes them an hour to get to Bluff Creek, and it ends up being a bust too. They spent two hours in Six Rivers, and they spend another two wandering around Bluff Creek, all to no avail. The best part of Bluff Creek is that Indy _pops_ one of its hands from its suitcase and onto its head, and then does the same for Littlefoot. It makes the fruitless hiking a little more bearable, to see them both in wide-brimmed summer hats. 

They hit the road again and make it two hours before stopping in Klamath, stomachs rumbling for an early dinner.

“I guess I’d just hoped we’d figure it out sooner rather than later,” Ryan says over his plate of fried shrimp. Across from him, Shane is cutting into a well-done steak with frightening intensity, feeding every other bite to Littlefoot.

“Of course,” Shane says with a nod. “I’d hoped so too. I guess…I guess I’m just not that worried if we don’t figure it out, you know?” Shane smiles at him. The corners of his eyes crinkle and Ryan’s heart skips a beat. “Like, we did alright with Indy, and Mothman would probably help us with, uh, anything supernatural or inhuman, if need be.”

“True.”

“Besides, my parents have never cared whether they were gonna get a daughter-in-law or son-in-law, so…. They probably wouldn’t even bat an eye at me bringing home Littlefoot.”

Ryan keeps nodding along until his brain finally registers the words _“son-in-law”_ and he chokes on his bite of shrimp. “Son-in-law?” he croaks, voice scratchy from the breading. “Shane, we’re not married.”

Shane stops cutting the steak. He sets down the knife and fork and clasps his hands together. He stares at Ryan. “Ryan, we are seriously discussing adopting a baby Bigfoot. We are, in essence, discussing whether or not we’re having a child together.” Shane stares at him like he’s an idiot—an idiot he loves, who he apparently wants to marry, but an idiot nonetheless.

“This is the shittiest proposal I’ve ever heard,” Ryan says faintly.

“It’s not an _actual_ proposal,” Shane says, exasperated. “I just meant—if we’re talking about adopting a kid, it’s kind of a given that we’d be married. Isn’t it?”

Ryan opens his mouth but can’t make himself speak.

“This is not a real proposal,” Shane says again. “I know you, I know you want something big and romantic and mushy. Or that you’re planning something big, and romantic, and mushy. Like, at Disney, or something.”

“I would never,” Ryan protests, mostly because he feels like he has to.

Shane’s face softens again. “Sure you wouldn’t,” he agrees. “So, this is not me proposing. Trust me, you’ll know when I’m proposing.”

“So you’re planning to propose?”

“Ryan.” Shane’s voice drops an octave to something more serious. “We don’t have to worry about this right now, okay? It was just, just a slip of the tongue. Or whatever will make it so you’re not all in your head about this. Let’s focus on one thing at a time, and right now that needs to be getting Littlefoot home.”

Ryan wants to protest. Shane is the one who’s saying if they can’t get her home, they’ll just _adopt_ her and get married while they’re at it because _duh_. But Ryan bites his tongue. Who knows, maybe they’ll actually get Littlefoot back to her mama, and they can just table the whole kids-and-marriage discussion for a bit.

Ryan nods. “Yeah, okay. Sorry.” He extends his leg and hooks his ankle with Shane’s. “I love you,” he says, because he feels like he needs to, and also just because he wants to.

“Love you too,” Shane says, smiling.

They reach the Oregon National Caves Monument and Preserve just after seven in the evening. As they pull into the parking lot, Indy vanishes its and Littlefoot’s hats with another _pop_. They get checked in to the Chateau and peer out the window of their room to look at the dense forest around them, illuminated gold by the sun still hanging overhead.

“Might as well, right?” Ryan says, already reaching for his jacket. Indy chirps and a thin scarf appears around what could be considered its neck, and Ryan smiles fondly. He looks to Shane, who nods in agreement. No sense in wasting time _not_ exploring. It’s technically closed to visitors, but Ryan knows that won’t be an issue for them with Indy at their side.

Even so, they still try to be at least moderately sneaky about it. They stick as close to the treeline as possible and stay in the shadows until they’re at the trail that will lead them into the forest. Indy never trills and there’s never a sign that it does anything, but no one sees them or stops them so Ryan thanks the mothbaby anyway.

Indy smacks his face gently with its antennae. _Of course_, it says.

Ryan fumbles with the map in one hand, a flashlight in the other, and Indy atop his shoulders yet again. Shane peers at the map with him.

“We’re here,” Ryan says, pointing with his outstretched pinky finger. “Some caves are here, here, and here.” He shakes the flashlight at each general area.

“Are we gonna try them all?” Shane asks.

“Might as well, right? There have been supposed sightings in all the caves.”

“They’re all kind of opposite directions from each other,” Shane says, trailing off.

_ I can help. _

Ryan almost tilts his head back to look up at Indy before realizing that would send the mothbaby tumbling off his shoulders. He settles for looking at Shane who’s looking up at Indy.

“How would you help, Indy? What’s the plan?”

_ Hold on to each other _.

Shane adjusts Littlefoot in his arms and reaches for Ryan with his other hand, grasping his hand where it’s curled around the edge of the map. “Ready when you are, kiddo.”

_ Okay _.

Between one blink and the next, the soft and mulchy ground underneath Ryan’s feet is hard stone, and the low-hanging sun is harder to see beyond the walls of the cave they’re suddenly in. Ryan staggers when he realizes where they are, and Shane staggers with him.

“Indy, fuck, warn a guy,” Ryan says even as he looks around the space in awe. He hadn’t felt anything—not a tugging in his navel like apparating in Harry Potter would suggest, not any kind of movement at all. One second he was at the mouth of the forest, and the next he was in a cave, no worse for wear. “Shit,” he murmurs. If he ever needed a reminder of how powerful Indy is, this would be it.

Shane’s preening and leans up to nuzzle at Indy’s tummy, nudging aside the fringe hanging from the edge of the scarf. “You’re so talented, kiddo,” he says.

“Still,” Ryan cuts in. “Warn us next time, please?”

_ Okay, _ Indy says, a long and drawn-out word inside their heads. It’s not really sorry, Ryan knows.

He stashes the map in his pocket for the time being and points the flashlight around to see the cave better. It goes deep, it seems, and Ryan isn’t sure how far they could get while still being safe. He bites the inside of his cheek.

“Why doesn’t Littlefoot try her growl?” Shane says. He lets Littlefoot down from his arms and she wanders to one side of the cave, a palm against the stone. She looks toward the tunnel to their left, then toward the mouth of the cave. “What do you say, sweetie?”

Ryan chokes slightly—he doesn’t think he’s ever heard Shane use the term ‘sweetie’ for anything other than maybe a joke. It doesn’t sound as weird as he expects, rolling off Shane’s tongue.

Littlefoot lets out a soft growl, closer to a purr maybe. She looks at Shane, nods, and then turns to the mouth of the cave again. Ryan’s about to ask if she should cry out into the cave itself, because wouldn’t that be where Bigfoots are hiding? But she starts before he can say anything.

She starts off louder than she did at Six Rivers and Bluff Creek. Not quite a shout, but close. The sound grows and grows until dust shakes off from the ceiling of the cave and Ryan sneezes softly. Shane steps closer to him and watches, rapt, as Littlefoot’s growl echoes out into the air and across the trees.

Ryan holds his breath again and leans against Shane.

Then, impossibly, there’s a response.

Ryan’s eyes fly open—he hadn’t even realized he closed them—as Littlefoot lets out another growl. Another pause before there’s a second response. It’s not coming from the cave they’re in right now, Ryan knows that much. It’s a bit distant, muted. He reaches up a hand to rub at Indy’s side.

“Think you can get us there, kiddo?” he asks, voice hushed.

Littlefoot comes gamboling over and Shane takes her hand, winds an arm around Ryan’s waist, and then they’re disappearing again. Ryan doesn’t stumble as much this time, at least not until he sees the small group of Bigfoots gathered around a quiet fire.

“Holy fuck,” he whispers.

“Language,” Shane whispers inanely at him.

“Who are you?” a booming voice asks. Ryan nearly jumps out of his skin. One of the Bigfoots rises from the group to stare at them. “What are you doing here?”

“We come in peace!” Shane half-hollers. Ryan slaps a hand to his face.

“Do you, now?” The Bigfoot sounds skeptical which is _never_ something Ryan expected to encounter. Also the fact that Bigfoots can talk, very unexpected.

“We found this little gal,” Shane says, grunting quietly as he hauls Littlefoot into his arms. She winds her arms around his neck and presses close to him, but she’s eyeing the group of Bigfoots curiously. “And we’re trying to get her back to her mama. She said they got separated a little ways outside of Los Angeles.”

The standing Bigfoot looks to his left, then his right. The Bigfoots all murmur amongst themselves for a few moments before the standing one clears its throat.

“We are not her family,” he says.

Ryan tilts his head back and Indy comes fluttering off his shoulders to float beside his head instead. “Fuck,” he murmurs.

Shane sighs quietly. “Any idea where we could find her family?”

“Not that we’re assuming all Bigfoots know each other, or anything,” Ryan hurries to say. “We’re just kind of at a loss.”

There’s a beat, and then the group of Bigfoots is _laughing_ at him. Ryan looks at Shane, who also looks kind of amused.

“You are fine,” the Bigfoot says. “I am Tamar, this is my family. We do not know the little one.” He seems to smile at her, and Littlefoot lets out a soft growl. “Come, sit.”

Ryan and Shane share a look before walking cautiously forward. The other Bigfoots scoot aside to make space for them on the ground and they drop to sit. Indy flutters around to rest in Ryan’s lap.

“Ah,” Tamar says. “I see.”

Ryan looks down at Indy. “What are you telling Tamar?”

“Just what happened,” Tamar says. He sits again. “As I said, we do not recognize the little one.”

“But,” another Bigfoot speaks suddenly, one to Ryan’s left. Its hair is a little longer than Tamar’s, and almost honey in color rather than brown. “Based on her color, you need to head further north.”

Ryan blinks. “You guys can tell where you’re from based on hair color?” He yelps when Shane elbows him in the side. “Hey! It’s not like we have any kind of reference!”

The other Bigfoot smiles at him. “Yes. It is not foolproof, but I have seen coats like hers before. North.”

“How much further north, do you know?” Shane asks.

She shakes her head sadly. “No, I am sorry. Could be close, could be beyond the border.”

Shane looks down at Littlefoot as he says, “Thanks.”

“That helps a lot.” Ryan looks around the little group and figures he might as well get some insight while he can. “There’s no way her mama would’ve stayed in LA, right?”

Tamar shakes his head. “No. It is likely she has a few small ones with her. She would return home to leave them in the care of family, before coming back to look for this one.”

Ryan’s head is buzzing. He feels faintly like he might explode. Distantly, he’s aware that this is some insanely good proof. Not that he, like, wants to document it and prove to the world that Bigfoots exist. But, well, his little supernatural hunting heart maybe can’t take it.

“Why can you talk, but she can’t?” Shane asks, bringing Ryan from his spiraling thoughts.

“She can,” the blond Bigfoot says. “I think she is just shy.” Another soft smile. “Give her time.”

Ryan and Shane nod.

“Uh,” Ryan starts. “Any advice?”

Tamar holds out his enormous, hairy hands. “May I see her?”

Shane hurries to stand and pass Littlefoot over; she goes without complaint.

“She is well,” Tamar says. “Healthy.” He nods approvingly at Shane and then Ryan. “You are doing a good job.”

Ryan exhales and discovers a weight has lifted from his chest he didn’t even realize was there.

“You will get her home, I am sure.” Tamar nods again and passes Littlefoot back to Shane. “Would you like to stay?”

Outside, the sun has just dipped below the horizon. The sky has turned from soft blue to a deeper purple, fringed with pink-orange. It’s not that dark out, but Ryan abruptly feels the stress and exhaustion of the day hit him.

“We should probably get back to rest up. Long drive tomorrow.”

“Very well. It was nice to meet you.”

Ryan stands, keeping Indy in his arms. Shane returns to his side. “Uh, yeah, you too. This was totally crazy.”

Tamar smiles. “Perhaps not so crazy, as much as fated.”

Ryan doesn’t even know how to respond to that, so he follows Littlefoot’s example and waves dazedly at the group, and between one breath and the next, they’re back in their bedroom at the Chateau. 

Ryan stumbles over to their bed and falls to sit on it. Indy goes fluttering out of his grasp to the other bed in the room, almost mirroring Ryan’s pose as it sits at the edge of the bed. Its scarf has disappeared, either into the void or, hopefully, into Indy’s suitcase. 

“That was insane,” he says eventually.

“Totally.” Shane sits beside him. Littlefoot squirms in his arms, and once he lets her down, she toddles over to the bag where the water bottles are waiting. Ryan and Shane watch as she opens a bottle for herself and starts to drink. “At least we’re on the right track?” Shane offers.

“Yeah.” Ryan laughs a bit breathlessly. “Christ, can you believe…?”

“That we met a little gaggle of Bigfoots? No, no I really can’t.” Shane laughs too. “Like, I actually don’t think I can wrap my head around it.”

Littlefoot caps the bottle again and brings it with her as she clambers onto the bed beside Indy. Indy turns to her, and they start trilling and growling softly at one another. Shane leans in toward Ryan and whispers, “What do you think they’re talking about?”

“How dumb you are for literally saying _we come in peace_?”

“It worked, didn’t it?”

Ryan hates that yes, it _did_ work. “Whatever.”

Later, after they’ve showered and tucked Indy and Littlefoot into bed, Ryan rolls onto his side and prods at Shane’s side. Shane groans, groggy, but turns to face Ryan. “What?”

“I realized something.”

Shane rubs at his eyes, yawning. “What did you realize, Ryan?”

“Tamar said it was fated. That we were fated to end up with Littlefoot.” Ryan can’t help it, he’s excited. He keeps his voice just above a whisper. “You said that too, remember? The first night we brought her home. You said maybe we’re, just...fated. To do this.”

Shane finally opens his eyes, though they’re sleep heavy. “What? You think we were actually destined to find Littlefoot at the park?”

“I don’t know.” Ryan can’t quell his grin. “But, it’s gotta be good, right? Just like Mothman chose us. The universe, or whatever, chose us for Littlefoot, too.”

“Mothman chose _you_,” Shane points out. 

“Mothman chose _us_,” Ryan insists.

“He chose _you_,” Shane argues, “I just happened to be around. Besides, does this mean it’s gonna happen every two years, until we’ve adopted one of every cryptid? Is a baby Nessie next?” 

“Maybe,” Ryan says. He can’t deny he would love that, even if dealing with a baby Nessie would probably be more complicated than Indy and Littlefoot combined. 

Shane shakes his head affectionately. As if reading Ryan’s thoughts, he says, “We could book a trip to Ireland for an episode and find out.”

Ryan can’t help his laugh. “See, now you_ are_ planning episodes!”

Shane shuts him up with a kiss. It’s long and languid, unhurried and sweet even though it tastes like toothpaste. Shane cups his cheek and speaks against his lips. “Maybe we are fated, Ry. Or maybe we’re just lucky. I dunno, but as long as I’m doing it with you, I’m happy.”

Ryan swallows. His heart feels like it’s beating into his throat. “Yeah,” he agrees. He fists a hand in Shane’s shirt. “Yeah, me too.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I wonder what Indy will be like when it’s older,” Shane says curiously. 
> 
> “Probably like Mothman.”
> 
> “Well, appearance-wise, yeah.” Shane pauses as he merges. “But, personality-wise? Indy doesn’t exactly make it a habit of terrorizing teens getting blazed on backroads.”
> 
> “We don’t know that,” Ryan says, although they kind of do. Indy’s a menace sometimes, sure. It likes to meddle and it likes to play, but it’s never been with malicious intent. “Besides, we don’t actually know if those stories of Mothman sightings are even true.”
> 
> “We should ask him, next time.” 
> 
> “Trust me, big guy, it’s been on my list.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much to say about this chapter, but hey! We're over halfway!!

Ryan wakes feeling well-rested but also like he could sleep for another five hours. His legs are sore—not as bad as they could be, but enough to ache—and his arms are tired from carrying the kids around all day. He rolls over and hugs his pillow to his chest. A hand lands in his hair and combs through, nails scraping along his scalp.

“W’time izzit?” Ryan mumbles into the covers.

“Almost eight,” Shane replies. “You’ve got time.”

He does, sort of; he could sleep a little longer, but something throbs in his head like a warning. He knows he’ll only regret waking up groggy in a half hour or so. He shakes his head and sits up slowly; Shane’s hand falls from his hair. 

“Morning.” Shane smiles at him lopsidedly. “What would you say if I suggested we just accept Littlefoot as our own and head back to LA?”

“I’d seriously consider it,” Ryan says, only half-joking. The prospect of yet another long drive, and more hiking through a forest, doesn’t exactly hold a ton of appeal. But then he thinks of all the complexities that would come with raising a baby Bigfoot, and how they would never really know if they were doing it _right_, and Ryan knows they at least need to try. 

Shane shrugs. “Worth a shot.” He nods toward the bathroom. “You wanna go first? I’m not too ripe since we didn’t actually do that much hiking yesterday.”

Ryan sniffs at his own t-shirt and hums. “Sure,” he decides eventually. “We can’t _both_ be stinking up the car.”

“Again, not ripe.” Even so, Shane leans in for a delicate kiss. “Go, I’ll get the kids ready and get our shit packed.” 

Ryan nods, steals another kiss, this one a bit more lingering, before gathering up fresh clothes from his suitcase and meandering into the attached bathroom. He doesn’t take long but relishes his time under the spray anyway. It’s nearly a seven-hour drive to Mount Hood, and he’s already sick of being cooped up in the car. 

For a moment, he wonders if it would be rude to ask Indy to teleport them there—and then he wonders if the weight of the car would be too much. Does interdimensional travel even care about weight? Does it matter? Does distance factor in? Ryan shakes off the thoughts as he sticks his head under the spray to rinse out his conditioner. 

He’s still a little wet when he walks out of the bathroom, dirty clothes in hand. He shoves them in a bag, and shoves that bag in the bottom of his suitcase before zipping it shut once more. Shane’s dressed, albeit a bit haphazardly: his shirt is kind of rucked around his waist, and the buttons of his henley are undone. The kids look from Shane to Ryan and back again; Indy is in another jaunty hat, one Ryan is fairly sure didn’t get packed with them, and Littlefoot has a ballcap on that Ryan’s never seen before. He decides it’s not worth asking about. 

Ryan raises an eyebrow at Shane and he replies, “The kids started waking up right as I was pulling on my pants and I panicked.” 

Ryan laughs the whole way downstairs. Indy sits on Shane’s shoulders as he pulls his and Ryan’s suitcases along, and Ryan’s giving Littlefoot a piggyback ride and tugging the kids’ suitcase behind him. Checking out takes a little longer, as there’s a slight line at the desk and only one staff member behind the counter.

“Did you hear that howling last night?” a woman in front of them asks the man with her. “I was coming back from a smoke and swore I heard this, this _growling_.” 

Ryan looks over at Shane, who’s looking at Littlefoot dozing against Ryan’s back.

“I didn’t hear anything, Carol,” the man says.

“Of course you didn’t, you snore like a chainsaw and sleep like the dead.” Carol rolls her eyes and, somehow, suddenly seems to notice Shane and Ryan behind her. “Did you two hear anything?” 

Ryan could swear that for a second, her gaze lingers on Littlefoot’s face mushed against his shoulder. But then her mascara-heavy blue eyes shift to Shane.

“Er, no. Sorry?” Ryan says.

“Didn’t hear anything,” Shane agrees. “We had a long trip yesterday.”

Carol hums. “And with two kids, no less. They’re, what, both under eight years old? Such a handful at that age.” 

Shane blinks at her. “They’re not so bad.”

“Just you wait!” she tells them as the line moves sluggishly forward. “Things only get more hectic as they get older!” She even waggles her finger. Ryan feels at once scolded and warned.

Carol opens her mouth to say something else, but abruptly two more staff members stumble behind the counter, looking rumpled and confused. They’re in their uniforms, but they don’t look like they know what’s going on.

“I thought you two weren’t gonna be in till later,” the young man at the front desk half-whispers. 

One of the staff members, a woman, blinks. Her hair is pulled back in a messy ponytail and she runs a hand over it. “Well,” she says, “we’re here now.” The other spontaneous employee nods, looking dazed. 

“Thank god,” the first man says. It takes a few moments for the other two to get set up, or whatever, but soon the line is moving much quicker. 

Ryan waits until they’re in the car and on the freeway to turn in his seat and look at Indy. “Thanks, kiddo.”

Indy trills pleasantly. 

“I wonder what Indy will be like when it’s older,” Shane says curiously. 

“Probably like Mothman.”

“Well, appearance-wise, yeah.” Shane pauses as he merges. “But, personality-wise? Indy doesn’t exactly make it a habit of terrorizing teens getting blazed on backroads.”

“We don’t know that,” Ryan says, although they kind of _do_. Indy’s a menace sometimes, sure. It likes to meddle and it likes to play, but it’s never been with malicious intent. “Besides, we don’t actually know if those stories of Mothman sightings are even true.”

“We should ask him, next time.” 

“Trust me, big guy, it’s been on my list.” 

For all that they’ve seen Indy over the last two years, they haven’t ever seen much of Mothman. He sends notes with Indy sometimes, and once or twice he’s visited them in their dreams. But he’s never really spoken to them directly since that moment in what Ryan has deemed The Forest Void, when he first told them he’d be taking Indy back.

Honestly, Ryan’s kind of grateful; if that’s the only place where Mothman can speak directly to them, Ryan would rather not go back. He’ll stick with the neatly written notes stuck in Indy’s luggage, and maybe one day he’ll work up the nerve to write back. 

The trip to Mount Hood is fairly uneventful. They leave the Chateau at nine in the morning and they stop at the three-hour mark for a bathroom, snack, and gas break. Ryan fuels up the car while Shane gets the bathroom code from the cashier; Shane awkwardly stands outside the door, arms crossed and foot tapping, while Littlefoot is inside. Shane’s clearly doing his best to seem nonchalant, and is therefore looking the exact opposite. It gets funnier by the second—especially when Shane has always been a pretty unflappable guy. Watching him being..._flappable_ ignites a certain kind of glee in Ryan’s gut.

Eventually, the bathroom door opens and Littlefoot walks out. Ryan can’t quite hear them but he watches as Shane ducks into the bathroom and comes out with a handful of paper towels. He starts wiping at Littlefoot’s hands before tossing them in a nearby garbage and leading her back to the car.

Shane doesn’t even wait for Ryan to ask. “She washed her hands but didn’t realize she needed to dry them, too.”

Ryan lets out a fond laugh, holding a hand over his heart as if it could contain the sudden burst of feelings. “Amazing,” he says, not even really joking. “You got the snacks?”

“Yep.” Shane double checks that Littlefoot and Indy are secure before coming around to stand beside Ryan at the gas pump. “Indy tried to get the cashier to give them to us for free, but I said no.”

“Very noble of you.” Ryan leans on Shane as they wait for the tank to fill. It’s not a long break, but it’s enough to leave Ryan feeling sort of refreshed by the time the pump clicks. Shane kisses his temple before wandering back around the car and climbing into the passenger seat. Ryan smiles as he hangs the pump back up and joins them in the car.

They don’t stop again since Indy seems to have a particular sway on Oregon traffic, and what should take them three or three and a half hours to traverse only ends up taking two. They’re so far ahead of schedule as they pull into the parking area near Mount Hood National Forest that Ryan actually does kind of feel like he’s been time traveling, or like they’ve gone through an interdimensional portal, or something. He gets out of the car in a haze and when Indy _pops_ into his arms, he looks down at the mothbaby.

“Good job kiddo,” he says earnestly. “Thanks for that.” He flicks at the brim of Indy’s hat playfully. 

Indy chirps happily before disappearing again, this time reappearing beside Shane and Littlefoot. 

“Hey girl, how you doing?” Shane asks as Ryan grabs their bag of snacks from the backseat. “You alright?”

Littlefoot smiles at him, the toothy smile she’s perfected. The ballcap disappeared about halfway through their trip here, after some trilling and growling from the backseat; now the tufts of hair on top of her head stand up at odd, endearing angles. She reaches out and takes Shane’s hand and starts to pull him towards one of the trails. Ryan shares a glance with Indy before they’re both taking off after the other two—Ryan not quite speedwalking, and Indy bobbing along in the air. 

They start the trek in relative silence. For as exhausting as the trip has been, there’s something undeniably wonderful about the places they’ve seen so far. Mount Hood is luscious and green, vibrantly colored even in the afternoon light. Shane walks a few steps ahead with Littlefoot still tugging on his hand and Ryan is content to watch them. 

He snaps a couple pictures, too, just for good measure. He captures a few with Indy floating in the frame, and a few where Littlefoot stops to sniff at a bush or pick up a twig and Shane watches everything she does with rapt attention. 

Ryan tucks his phone away when Littlefoot abruptly turns to him. She lets go of Shane’s hand as she wanders over to Ryan, and once at his feet, she holds out a hand. Ryan stares at her wrinkly palm. At first, he reaches out as if to hold her hand but she grunts and swats at his fingers.

“Maybe she’s thirsty, Ry. I’m feeling kinda parched myself.” 

Ryan nods and drops to a crouch, swinging the bag onto the ground with him. He pulls out a water bottle and extends it to Littlefoot. She takes it and grunts something at him before toddling back to Shane. She unscrews the cap herself, takes a long drink, and passes it to Shane who drinks from it too. 

Belatedly—very belatedly, like, a few days belated—Ryan wonders if it’s safe to share water bottles and the like with a baby Bigfoot.

_ Too little too late, _ he thinks as he pulls an apple from the bag and tosses it to Indy, snagging a second water bottle for himself. He zips up the bag and watches as the apple floats in the air before disappearing with a _pop_. 

“What do we think, wanna try the call?” Ryan says as he walks the few paces separating him from Shane and Littlefoot. 

Shane looks down at her, and she nods. They meander a little bit further along the trail but when Littlefoot stops walking, the rest of them stop as well. She clambers onto a nearby tree stump while Ryan, Shane, and Indy all stand to the side and watch.

She’s getting more comfortable with this, Ryan thinks. It seems more natural on her now. Less uncertain. She tips her head back and opens her mouth wide—she has thick teeth, despite their mostly-human-like shape, _made for gnashing_, Ryan thinks briefly, _almost prehistoric_—and lets out a cry. It echoes, startling some birds in a nearby tree. It seems to go on for ages as the sound carries for miles. Ryan doesn’t know if that’s just the nature of the places they’ve visited so far, or if there’s something supernatural about a Bigfoot call. 

They all stand in silence. Ryan watches as Littlefoot purses her lips before opening her mouth again and crying out once more. She’s louder this time and it echoes for longer.

But still no response. 

Littlefoot doesn’t seem overly disheartened by this news, so Ryan tries not to be either. She hops off the tree stump and walks over, taking Shane’s hand and then Ryan’s. She pulls them further along the trail. Ryan motions for Indy to get on his shoulders, and then the four of them are off, deeper into the woods.

In the end, they walk for nearly three hours, including the trip back. They’re nearly out of water by the time they make it back to the car—still with Littlefoot in tow, because they didn’t encounter hide nor hair of other Bigfoots along the way. 

This time, Ryan does feel disheartened as they get into the car. Shane spends his usual few minutes fiddling with the seat settings while Ryan twists in his seat to look at Littlefoot. She’s staring out the window at the trees and open air around them. 

“It’ll be okay,” Ryan says, then amends, “it _is_ okay.” Littlefoot turns to look at him, and Indy does too. “We’ll keep you safe as long as we need to, Littlefoot. Just like we did with Indy.”

Littlefoot smiles at him. It’s not the wide and toothy one from before. It’s smaller, timid, makes her look older. 

“Might as well head to Portland, right?” Shane says as he starts the car. “It’s only about an hour’s drive.”

“Sure,” Ryan says. He doesn’t mention the heavy feeling in his heart as they pull away from Mount Hood and head back toward the interstate. It’s not exactly dread, but it’s not _not_ dread, either. Ryan rubs uncomfortably at his chest as he watches the scenery outside flicker by. 

They roll into Portland right around dinner time; Ryan focuses on finding a hotel that’s got a room available while Shane looks for quick and easy food around where they’re parked. They end up getting McDonald’s, because it’s easy and right there off the freeway, before heading a little further north. There’s a Marriott near the bridge that will take them over into Washington, and it’s cheap and they’ve got a room. The parking lot is fucking awful, but the sight of the nearby water is nice. Not much further away is a fancier waterfront hotel, which had been pricier. Ryan tucks away the thought of staying there for a future vacation, although after this trip he may suggest they stick to the east coast for a while. 

The kids hurry ahead to the room and despite Shane waving around the hotel keycard, their room door swings open as Indy floats up to it. Littlefoot and Indy go barreling in and Shane pockets the keycard again. 

“Why do we bother paying for anything when we’re with Indy?” Shane asks as they haul the suitcases into the room.

“Because we’re good people, and we’re being good examples for Indy that leading a life of crime is not the best option.”

“Kind of feels like it is.”

“We are not using Indy’s powers for evil,” Ryan says. He pointedly doesn’t mention the ballcap that he’s still sure was technically stolen.

Shane lets out a long-suffering sigh. “Fine, dear,” he says, tone heavy and exaggerated. “No life of crime, you have my word.” Shane smiles at him and beckons him closer with an open hand. Ryan goes easily and winds his arms around Shane’s waist. “It’s still pretty early,” Shane says.

_ You two should go out! _

They both look at Indy where it sits with Littlefoot on the bed. 

“What?” Ryan asks.

_ You two should go out. _ Indy’s antennae twitch. _We’ll be okay._

“No, that’s alright,” Ryan says at the same time Shane says, “Well, it would be kind of nice.”

Ryan glares at Shane and Shane looks placidly back. “We can’t just leave them here.”

“Indy disappeared one time because it thought we would be better off without it. Aside from that, Indy has never once disappeared, or been kidnapped, or been unable to be left alone for a bit.”

Ryan still frowns. 

_ I know your phone numbers. We’ll call if we need something. _

“See? We’ll just keep our phones turned up, it’ll be fine.”

Ryan looks between Indy, Littlefoot, and Shane. All three of them stare at him imploringly, two sets of brown eyes and one set of red. Ryan sighs. 

Indy trills loudly and Littlefoot claps her hands together. Shane squeezes his shoulders. “It’ll be fine, Ry, I promise.”

There’s not exactly much in the way of restaurants near the Marriott, so they end up at a Chipotle. It’s not the most romantic of settings, but they’re both tired, and it’s familiar, and Ryan still feels a certain kind of excitement any time he and Shane go on dates of any sort. 

They end up with their ankles hooked together, digging into burritos in mostly silence. Shane keeps looking at him and Ryan keeps looking back. Shane smiles at him. When he reaches across the table to flick a piece of onion off Ryan’s shirt, he detours and brushes his hand over Ryan’s arm too. Sometimes he’ll drop his hand into his lap, fiddling with something before reaching for the salt, or extra guac, or Ryan again. 

Ryan wouldn’t say Shane’s fidgeting, because he’s rarely seen the other man fidget. The energy feels charged, but Ryan doesn’t know with what. 

Finally, when Shane is finished with his food and Ryan nearly is, Ryan says, “You’re not going to propose here, are you?”

Shane chokes on his last bite of burrito and in his haste to reach for his water, he ends up knocking it over. Ryan drops his burrito and scrambles for napkins. The water dribbles slowly across the table until they both slap napkins down on the laminate, creating a soggy pile beside the upright cup. 

“Jesus, Shane.”

“Me? What the fuck, Ryan?” Shane looks red in the face, probably from kinda-sorta choking. “No, I’m not going to propose to you in a fucking Chipotle!” His voice edges on too loud and starts to draw a slight crowd. Shane ducks his head in a rare display of embarrassment, and Ryan sinks into his seat. 

“I just—you keep looking at me, and, I dunno, Portland is kind of romantic?”

“I enjoy looking at your face, Ryan. I know that may be hard to believe, but I am actually quite taken with your stupid, _stupid_ face.”

Ryan scowls, but a blush heats his face. “Shut up.” He unhooks his ankle from Shane’s to kick at his shin instead. 

“I told you,” Shane continues, voice a little softer. “You’ll know when I’m proposing. And I promise, it will not be in a fucking Chipotle.”

Ryan rolls his eyes. He feels silly for even thinking that would happen here. There’s just—this energy, one he can’t quite put a name to. 

Maybe it’s the fact they’re getting closer to the end of their journey with nothing to really show for it. Maybe it’s that despite living together, he and Shane haven’t really spent this much uninterrupted time with each other in a long time, even for a shoot. Maybe it’s Indy and the undeniably supernatural sensation that time with the mothbaby always has, doubled by Littlefoot’s presence.

Shane smiles at him, a little curious, and Ryan wonders if maybe it doesn’t matter at all.

“Love you,” he says around his last mouthful of burrito.

Shane wrinkles his nose. “Chew your fucking food, Ryan.”

Littlefoot is on her stomach on the bed, raptly watching television, when they get back to the hotel room. Indy is sitting on her back, rocking back and forth in a way it sometimes does, also watching television.

_ Welcome back, _ Indy says without looking at them. 

“We didn’t set a bedtime, did we?” Shane asks as they toe off their shoes.

_ No, you didn’t _, Indy supplies.

“We should’ve,” Ryan says.

“No time like the present! Bedtime, kiddos!”

Littlefoot and Indy turn to look at Shane, unimpressed. 

“Just because we’re leaving a little later tomorrow morning doesn’t mean we shouldn’t all get to bed right quick.”

“God, who even are you?” Ryan can’t help but ask. “He’s right,” he adds, giving a pointed look at Indy. “It’s bedtime.”

Littlefoot pouts and Ryan elbows Shane; he can practically see the other man folding like a house of cards.

“No pouting,” Ryan says. “Bedtime.”

Indy’s antennae twitch but it flutters up and off Littlefoot’s back and onto a pillow at the head of the bed. _Tuck us in?_

“Of course we’ll tuck you in.” Shane’s already moving, scooping up Littlefoot as he goes. 

He slides her under the covers, although the last couple nights in the hotel have taught them that she’ll kick them off in the middle of the night. She likes being tucked in, they’ve learned, and she closes her eyes dutifully once Shane has her tucked in tight. Tucking in Indy doesn’t involve any actual tucking tonight, since it seems content to sleep just on the pillow with no blankets. All the same, Shane and Ryan each drop a kiss to Indy’s forehead before getting ready for bed themselves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> also, because I'm sure other people are wondering, haha:  



	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We gotta be close,” Shane says. 
> 
> “Then why aren’t they answering?” Ryan rests his chin in his hands as he watches Littlefoot do another lap around the impromptu campsite they’ve set up. It’s really just the duffel bag spilling its contents in a messy display of ‘this spot is claimed,’ but it works.
> 
> “They’re probably scared.”
> 
> “But wouldn’t they recognize her?”
> 
> Shane’s lips twist as his eyes track Littlefoot. “They’re essentially an endangered species, Ryan,” he says slowly, frown deepening with each word. “Even if they hear her, if she’s with, y’know, strangers, maybe they don’t think it’s safe. It’s not exactly smart to risk outing a whole colony just for one...one kid.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I've said before that this whole fic happened because of Bessy, but this chapter in particular wouldn't have been possible without her! She was the logic to my absolute insanity in terms of how one would actually raise a Bigfoot. 
> 
> Enjoy!

It’s a rough start the next morning. Indy is strangely quiet as they pack up their pajamas and duffel bag of snacks. Littlefoot doesn’t even grunt or growl, nor does she ask to be picked up. Neither her or Indy put on hats or scarves or anything else that Indy might’ve packed. Littlefoot takes Shane’s hand as they walk to the elevator and back to the car. As for Shane, well...he seems fine. He’s smiling and chatting at Indy and Littlefoot even if they don’t chatter back. If he’s feeling as drained and unsure as Ryan, he doesn’t show it.

And Ryan _is_ feeling drained and unsure. He wouldn’t quite peg himself as hopeless yet, but it’s a near thing. Ape Canyon is less than two hours from Portland, and he spends the entire drive fidgeting in the passenger’s seat. It would’ve been worse if he had driven—he might’ve run them off the road with his constantly bouncing leg or his hands tapping at the steering wheel. 

He can admit, as they pull into the parking lot near Ape Canyon Trail, that part of the strange sensation in his chest is a lingering disappointment. It’s not like he _wanted_ Shane to propose at a fucking Chipotle, but for a few moments he had been so damn sure it would happen. Even with Shane’s assurances that it _will_ happen—something that makes Ryan’s heart beat double time in general—Ryan feels a little like they’ve missed out. 

“Ry?” Shane bends down and peers into the car, where Ryan still sits. Indy is perched on Shane’s shoulders and Littlefoot is a few paces behind him. “You coming?” Shane says with a slightly teasing smile.

“Yeah, sorry.” Ryan rubs a hand over his face. He clambers out of the car and slings the duffel bag over one shoulder. He does his best to smile at Shane, and Indy tilts its head curiously, and then they’re off. 

As they hit the trail, the first thing Ryan notices is the stretches of dry dirt and dusty ground, interspersed with shocks of vibrant green or bright flowers. It’s so different from every other forest they’ve been to so far: less dense, more open. Ryan takes a deep breath as they walk and feels a little refreshed. He’s emboldened by Littlefoot barreling ahead of him and Shane. She doesn’t go far enough that they can’t see her, but she moves with an excitement that was lacking in all the other forests. 

She leads them up a hill and cups her hands around her mouth before doing a cry. Ryan stands beside Shane as they watch her do a few calls. They all echo out into the surrounding area, but no returning cries reach them. 

Littlefoot doesn’t seem deterred, though. She ambles on, and Ryan and Shane follow close behind. Every so often, Shane looks at Ryan and does that thing, where he has a silent conversation using only his eyebrows, and Ryan shrugs in response. It goes on like that for nearly two hours; even when they stop to drink water and eat granola bars, Littlefoot is pacing and grunting and growling.

“We gotta be close,” Shane says. 

“Then why aren’t they answering?” Ryan rests his chin in his hands as he watches Littlefoot do another lap around the impromptu campsite they’ve set up. It’s really just the duffel bag spilling its contents in a messy display of ‘this spot is claimed,’ but it works.

“They’re probably scared.”

“But wouldn’t they recognize her?”

Shane’s lips twist as his eyes track Littlefoot. “They’re essentially an endangered species, Ryan,” he says slowly, frown deepening with each word. “Even if they hear her, if she’s with, y’know, strangers, maybe they don’t think it’s safe. It’s not exactly smart to risk outing a whole colony just for one...one kid.”

Ryan’s heart thuds painfully in his chest. He shifts to hide his face in his hands instead. “We can’t just leave her out here.”

“I know,” Shane says quietly.

“I don’t want her going off without us, either. We don’t know if she’ll come back. She could get lost again, or worse.” Ryan’s words are muffled into his hands but peeking between his fingers, he can see Shane nodding along.

“Why don’t we send Indy with her? You and I stay here, Indy and Littlefoot go exploring. If they get into danger, Indy can pop them back here.”

Ryan watches Littlefoot wander further and further from their area, her cries growing more urgent and mournful. His eyes burn. “Yeah, okay,” he says, voice hoarse. “Indy, can you—?”

_ On it. We’ll be safe. _

“If you do find her family,” Shane says as Indy starts to flutter its way over to Littlefoot. Shane swallows. “If you do find her family, ask them if they’ll let us say goodbye?” 

Indy bobs in the air, its version of nodding. _Of course._ It disappears with a _pop_ and reappears a few yards away, beside Littlefoot. The baby Bigfoot stops pacing and looks up at Indy for a few moments. They’re quiet, but they’re clearly having a conversation. After a few seconds, Littlefoot nods excitedly and reaches up a huge hand. 

Indy rests in Littlefoot’s palm for a second before Littlefoot transfers the mothbaby to her shoulders, and then they’re off. As they disappear down a small hill, Indy’s voice reaches Ryan and Shane.

_ We’ll be back, promise! _

Ryan heaves a sigh once they’re out of sight. 

“You okay? You’ve been kind of out of it all day.”

“Just worried,” Ryan says. “It feels like we’re so close. And I know…I know we’ll figure out how to raise her, regardless. But I really want to get her _home_. It’s not like with Indy, where Mothman gave it to us. Mothman made us part of Indy’s home, y’know? Littlefoot has a home that’s safe. She has a place she belongs.” 

Shane stands from the rock he’s perched himself on to come kneel beside Ryan instead. He doesn’t say anything, because there’s nothing new to say, really. Ryan’s been stewing in this for days now, and Shane knows that perfectly well. Just like Ryan knows they _will_ figure this out, if need be. They’ll raise a fucking baby Bigfoot if that’s their only option. When Ryan glances sideways, there's a glint in Shane's eyes that makes Ryan think he's thinking the same thing.

Ryan sighs again and drops a hand to his knee, palm up. Instantly, Shane takes it and links their fingers. 

They don’t speak as they wait for Littlefoot and Indy to return. It’s a comfortable silence at least. It’s a bit warm outside, the wind carrying the heat across the dusty landscape and rustling the bushes. Ryan’s hand starts to get sweaty pretty quickly but he doesn’t pull his hand away from Shane’s. The only time they move is for Shane to cram onto the log with Ryan, moaning about his poor aching knees. 

That’s how Indy and Littlefoot find them when they reappear on the horizon another hour later. Littlefoot is loping along, slow again, but Ryan can’t tell right away if she’s just tired or if she’s disheartened. 

The way she reaches for Shane once she and Indy are close enough still isn’t especially revealing, but since they aren’t popping over to another family of Bigfoots, Ryan figures it’s safe to assume the journey was not fruitful. 

Shane carries Littlefoot back to the car and Indy bobs along in the air beside them. Getting into the car again feels morose. Shane takes the passenger seat this time, and keeps one arm awkwardly angled into the backseat so that Littlefoot can hold his hand. Ryan climbs into the driver’s seat, and they make it the first hour toward Seattle without anything but the radio to fill the air. 

As they verge into the second hour on the road, and as Ryan starts watching the signs for an exit he can pull into for a bathroom break, Shane speaks.

“Hey, Littlefoot?” he says, slowly and carefully. 

She hums in the backseat. She seems a little less down now. At least, she’s swinging her feet in a way that seems more happy than distraught.

“How would you like to live with me and Ryan?” He casts a sideways glance at Ryan as he speaks. “In our home?”

In the rearview mirror, Ryan watches Littlefoot perk up and swivel her head to stare at Shane. He watches her lips move as she says, “What?”

“She spoke!” Ryan half-shouts.

“Yeah!” Shane grins before twisting in the seat to look at Littlefoot. “Yeah, kiddo, how would you like to live with us? We can get you a bed and set you up in Indy’s room.”

Indy trills and it sounds indignant.

“You’re gonna have to share, buddy,” Shane says patiently. Ryan tries and fails to smother an abrupt laugh. “You’re not around all the time anyway, so it’d be okay for Littlefoot to use that space, right?”

There’s a pause before _Yes_ flickers inside their minds, only a touch petulant. 

“Thanks, Indy,” Shane says. Ryan hates that he can’t take his eyes off the road to watch Shane talk to Littlefoot, quiet and serious. “We can do some trips every so often, okay? And try to get you back to your mama, but we’re gonna have to head back to our home soon. You wanna come back with us?”

For a split second, Ryan wonders what would happen if Littlefoot said no.

But it doesn’t matter, because she nods and speaks again, though her voice is raspy and clumsy. “Yes!” 

“Alright!” Shane holds his hand out for a fist bump and Littlefoot returns it gamely. “We can look up beds when we get to Seattle, how about that?”

_ Maybe bunk beds? _

Ryan laughs again as Shane says, “Sure, Indy, we can look at bunk beds.” 

Ryan’s finally able to pull onto an off-ramp and get them into a gas station parking lot. They all get out of the car and Indy bobs along with Littlefoot toward the restrooms tucked along the side. Shane goes about gassing up the tank, and Ryan leans against the car beside him. 

“So, we should probably start figuring out the logistics of this, huh?” Ryan says. He’s aiming for casual but judging by Shane’s raised eyebrow, he misses it by a mile. 

“I guess it’s as good as time as any to rehash the ‘how many kids do you want’ question.”

Ryan chokes for a second. “Shane!”

“I’m just saying! We have no idea how long we could be raising Littlefoot! There’s a very real chance she could grow up with whatever human kids we may or may not adopt!” 

Ryan shakes his head, but he feels fond down to his toes. “I’d still want two. Two human kids.”

“God, not at the same time, right?”

“What if we found really cute twins?” Ryan counters, even though the thought of raising two kids at the same time—two _human_ kids—freaks him out. 

“Fine, but _only_ if they’re really cute twins. If they’re moderately ugly twins, we take the one we like best and call it a day.”

Ryan slaps at Shane’s arm. “You’re fucking awful, dude.”

Shane only beams at him.

“That wasn’t what I was talking about, by the way,” Ryan continues as Shane screws the gas cap closed. Across the parking lot, Indy and Littlefoot wander into the store. “I meant, like. What about the show? And, just, Buzzfeed in general?”

“Well, she seems pretty self-sufficient,” Shane says. He tucks his wallet into his back pocket and motions for Ryan to follow him. “She’s tall enough to reach the counters with a little help, and I bet she could put together a peanut butter sandwich without hurting herself. So, maybe we just start working from home a little more, but I don’t think we have to give anything up entirely.”

“What about filming?”

“We call in Mothdaddy,” Shane says confidently as they stride into the convenience store. He nods politely at the cashier behind the counter and keeps talking. “He owes us anyway. He could deal with Littlefoot for a couple days at a time. Or at least let Indy come stay with us so she can contact us if something’s happening.”

“Littlefoot could probably learn to use the phone. Especially if she keeps talking.”

Shane nods at him eagerly. “Exactly!”

“Okay, so, holidays?”

“We bring Indy along so it can cast its glamour and tell our families we’re babysitting for friends or something.”

Ryan bites the inside of his cheek—it’s not that simple, it can’t be. But Shane is so excited, and Littlefoot is so excited, and Ryan doesn’t have the heart or even the brainpower to start parsing through the technicalities. He does add, “Maybe TJ and Mark could be brought into the fold. They could babysit her sometimes.”

Shane nods as they finally find Indy and Littlefoot in the snack aisle. “Yeah, perfect!” 

Littlefoot grunts happily and Indy’s found some apple chips that bob in the air alongside it. 

“Okay, kids, let’s get going.” Shane herds them both back toward the counter and Ryan brings up the rear. He watches Shane pay for the snacks and watches Littlefoot hold her chips and candy bar close to her chest. The apple chips are gone by the time they get situated in the car, and Shane ends up running back inside for a second bag. 

Shane gets in the driver’s seat and as the car rumbles to life, he says, “We’re gonna get there too late tonight, but tomorrow, we should take the kids somewhere fun in Seattle.”

Ryan nods. “Okay, sounds good.” 

Shane grins and reaches out to crank the volume on the radio. 

They end up at Space Needle Park the next day. They sleep in and Indy spends upwards of a half hour getting dressed and dressing Littlefoot. Indy goes with its usual wide-brimmed hat, and produces a hideously patterned floral-print shirt from who-knows-where for Littlefoot. They do a late breakfast at the hotel and Shane commandeers the driver’s seat, his eyes sparkling with a plan. They park across the street from a sleek and futuristic building that boasts “MoPOP” along the outside. Behind it and the monorail sits the Space Needle, and just beside it sits part of Space Needle Park. It’s early in the afternoon but the park is already bustling with families.

Ryan and Shane manage to snag an empty patch of grass and lay down a blanket, while Indy and Littlefoot take off for the playground immediately. Ryan and Shane fall onto the blanket—Ryan literally, as he falls back and lets himself stare up at the open blue sky. It’s just the right temperature out, not too warm and not too cold with only a hint of a chill on the wind; the sound of kids laughing and playing is actually soothing, Ryan realizes, and wonders what’s changed inside him to make it that way.

“You’re thinking awful hard,” Shane says as he rests a hand on Ryan’s leg. He thumbs over his jeans, a sweet and simple gesture. 

“Just realizing...we’re like, actually gonna do this.”

“What, adopt Littlefoot?” Shane’s grinning, Ryan can see it from the corner of his eye. “Yeah, Ry, we are.”

“Are we crazy?”

“I think we passed crazy the day you decided to bring Indy on a plane.”

Ryan rolls his eyes. “So you’ve said, approximately two dozen times.”

Shane sinks down to lay beside Ryan on the blanket. He props himself up on one elbow, so he still kind of looms over Ryan. “I don’t think we’re crazy. We’ve been together for a couple years now, and sure, maybe I thought this might happen a little later, but I’m not unhappy about it. We’ve basically been raising Indy this whole time, so what’s another kiddo in the mix?”

Ryan has about a million and one anxieties that could come spewing out of his mouth. Littlefoot is a whole other entity, they know nothing about her species, and seeing that one family of Bigfoots was probably a fluke so it’s not like they have anyone to consult other than Mothman. And there’s no telling how much help he’d actually be, anyway.

Ryan doesn’t say any of this, though. Because he knows Shane’s already thought of it all. He’s already considered all the possibilities and decided raising Littlefoot with Ryan is the best possible option. 

Ryan reaches out a hand and wraps it around the back of Shane’s neck to pull him down into a kiss. Shane makes a soft sound of surprise, something caught between an _oomph_ and an _agh_, and Ryan swallows the sound greedily. They kiss, slow and gentle, for a minute before Shane pulls back with a wide smile. 

Shane opens his mouth and starts to say, “Listen, I don’t—” but a shriek cuts across the park and in their haste to sit up, Ryan butts his head against Shane’s jaw. Shane yelps in pain and brings a hand to his face, and Ryan barely mumbles out an apology before he’s searching the crowd. At first, he can’t see Indy and Littlefoot, and his heart skips a beat, then two, then three.

_ We’re fine _ , echoes inside his head and probably Shane’s. _A kid tripped and fell. Skinned his knee._

Sure enough, seconds after Indy’s spoken, a mom walks by with a sniffling boy in her arms. His knee is red and bloody and his face is tucked against his mother’s neck. A thought occurs to Ryan.

“If Indy or Littlefoot ever get sick,” he says, “do we take them to a vet or a pediatrician?”

“Is that your new stand-up routine opener?” Shane asks as he rubs at his jaw. “It sounds like the start of a joke.” 

“No, I’m serious, Shane. They’re not _invincible._”

“Ehh,” Shane drawls. “Indy probably is.” 

“We don’t know for _sure_ though!” Ryan says, throwing his hands in the air. “Littlefoot is basically a, a, an ape person! But we can’t exactly go to the vet and call her our pet orangutan or something!”

“Ryan, serious question here, do you _know_ what orangutans look like?” 

“I’m being serious, Shane!”

“I know you are.” Shane grips his shoulder and squeezes. “But, look. We don’t even know for sure what Indy eats, so I’m pretty sure it’s not in danger of getting strep throat or anything. And as for Littlefoot...well, maybe Mothman has some recommendations for supernatural doctors. Or maybe we could just see a witch doctor in New Orleans again, I bet they wouldn’t even think twice.”

Ryan resists the urge to point out that witch doctors are not _those_ kind of doctors. “It feels kind of awful to take them to a vet,” Ryan says, still hung up on his prior train of thought.

“Well, they aren’t human, Ryan, so a vet isn’t exactly unreasonable.”

“They’re not wild animals!”

“Again, they’re also not human!” 

They both keep raising their voices but Ryan realizes his face is aching with the force of his smile. Shane’s grinning too, bright and wide. Suddenly, Ryan is overwhelmed with the affection he feels for the other man, and he falls back onto the blanket, hugging his stomach as he laughs. Shane lands beside him, every laugh coming out as a hot gust of air against Ryan’s cheek.

“We are in agreement at least to get our human kids vaccinated, right?” Shane asks softly. 

“Oh god, does Littlefoot need vaccines?”

Shane drops his head against Ryan’s shoulder. “Oh my god, Ryan.”

“Duh, we’re getting our human kids vaccinated, but we don’t have them yet, so _Littlefoot_.”

“I doubt Littlefoot needs to be vaccinated. Except maybe against rabies. Maybe Mama Bigfoot already did that.”

He says it so easily, but the thought is so absurd that it sends Ryan into another fit of laughter. 

Shane’s still smiling when Ryan finally catches his breath. “So, private school or public school?”

“Are you kidding me? Public school, definitely.” 

Shane nods along like he expected nothing less. “Would you want to adopt, or get a surrogate?”

There, Ryan pauses. “I don’t know…” He considers both options. “I mean, we’re pretty good at the whole adoption thing, aren’t we?”

Shane laughs. “Yeah, we are.”

“Probably should just keep it going then, right?”

“Right.” Shane tilts his head like he’s considering something. “Okay, gender?”

“Don’t care. We’ve had a gender nonconforming interdimensional mothbaby and a baby girl Bigfoot, I don’t think it even matters.”

“Fair enough. Are you gonna dress them in Lakers gear?”

“Do you even know me?” 

Shane rolls his eyes. 

They spend a while longer trading questions back and forth about their human kids, and with each answer, Ryan feels more and more comfortable. As he sits up, Shane clambering to his feet to go drag the kids back for a snack, Ryan feels a little more ready to raise Littlefoot. He thinks about buying her some clothes, figuring out what blankets she likes; he wonders if she’d want a teddy bear or not. 

Ryan’s so lost in his thoughts he almost misses Shane’s burst of laughter across the park. He struggles to stand, limbs feeling heavy from being lazy in the sun, and he wanders through the playground to find Shane standing underneath the huge slide. There’s a net tunnel that leads from the ladder up to the entrance to the slide, and Littlefoot is grinning as she scurries across the net. Indy sits on Shane’s shoulder and the three of them watch as Littlefoot launches herself into the mouth of the slide, tumbling down with hoots and hollers of excitement.

Ryan tears himself away from Shane’s side to meet Littlefoot at the bottom of the slide. She comes hurtling out, shirt flapping at her sides, and right into Ryan’s waiting arms, knocking them both into the dirt. 

“Looking good, Ryan,” Shane says as he comes to stand over the two of them. He snaps a quick pic on his phone before holding out a hand to help Littlefoot up first, then Ryan. “How about those snacks?” 

Ryan and Shane stay up after the kids have gone to sleep. They roll to face each other on the cramped hotel bed and speak in hushed tones. Shane props himself up on his elbow again and grins down at Ryan.

“Do we even want to bother going to Okanogan tomorrow?” he asks quietly.

“I’ll feel bad if we don’t,” Ryan says, even though he’s not exactly enthused by the idea of driving almost five hours east for what is probably a pointless endeavor. “What if that’s where her family ends up being? I gotta know.”

Shane nods. He musses a hand through Ryan’s bed-wrecked hair. “Yeah, alright.” He’s still smiling and Ryan can’t stop staring at the creases on his face, the laugh lines and slight wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. “I was thinking,” Shane says after a moment’s pause. “We should probably childproof the house, right?”

“Probably,” Ryan replies. “She’s probably gonna get curious pretty quick. We only had her in the house one night, not exactly a lot of time for exploring.”

“I started looking at bunk beds, too.” Shane rolls over to snatch his phone off the bedside table and rolls back over to Ryan, crashing into him slightly. “I found one that’s pretty easy to build at home.”

“How much is expert assembly?”

“I’m not paying someone two hundred dollars to build a bed, Ryan,” Shane says patiently. “Besides, we put Indy’s bed together.”

“Indy helped,” Ryan points out. Which is true. Indy helped quite a bit, especially with the longer, heavier sides of the bedframe. 

“Indy can help this time too.” Shane shrugs. “And Littlefoot.” 

Ryan shakes his head. “Okay, fine,” he agrees. 

Even as he says it, a dozen other thoughts come to him. Ones he had when they were at the park, ones he had yesterday when Shane first suggested they actually take Littlefoot home. They’re growing impossible to ignore, especially as affection and excitement leave Ryan feeling unsure and vulnerable. 

“What about her diet?” 

Shane tilts his head. “What do you mean?”

“We don’t actually know what she eats. We’ve been feeding her, like, like she’s a regular kid or something. But what if she needs something more balanced?” Once he’s started, Ryan realizes it’s hard to stop. “And I know we were joking about it, but what about taking her to the doctor? Could we like, I dunno, look on the dark web or something?”

“For a...Bigfoot doctor?” Shane asks slowly. 

“I’m serious! I can’t handle her getting sick if we don’t know how to fix it!” 

“Ryan, Ryan, calm down.” Shane sits up and puts a hand on Ryan’s shoulder. “Calm down,” he says again. “If she gets sick, we’ll...fuck, call up Indy and ask it to glamor her so we can take her to a regular doctor? Ask Mothdad if he knows any supernatural doctors?” 

Ryan groans. “And, you know, we can’t just keep Littlefoot inside forever. She needs sunshine, and social interaction. Our neighbors would get suspicious, especially without Indy helping us.”

“Ryan—”

“And! Holidays!” Ryan slaps at Shane’s chest emphatically, a _smack_ with each word and then a few more for good measure. “We can’t just say we’re, like, stealing our friend’s children every holiday.”

“Okay, that I actually have an answer to,” Shane interjects and Ryan’s startled into falling quiet. “Obviously, we don’t know how long we’ll have her for. Could be a couple months, could be a couple years.” Shane tilts his head from side to side; he’s stalling. 

“Spit it out, Shane, c’mon.”

“Maybe in like, a year or two, if Littlefoot is still ours, maybe we could have Indy or Mothman just, y’know, put it into the universe that Littlefoot is our kid. Our human kid, who we adopted, and it’s all very normal and nothing to look too closely at or question.” 

“That’s...that’s not the worst idea. It’s kind of risky, though.”

“So is smuggling a mothbaby through an airport and taking a baby Bigfoot across state lines, I think we’re way past _risky_. Maybe it’s not foolproof, but I think we can manage it. We’re the ghoul boys. The ghoul dads!” 

Shane’s so sure when he speaks and his grin is so unwavering, Ryan can’t help but lean in to kiss him. Shane smiles into the kiss, too, and it makes for a crooked and clumsy kiss, even as Shane brings his hand up to cup Ryan’s cheek. 

“We’re starting a family together,” Ryan says against Shane’s lips when they’re both breathless from kissing. “Holy fuck.”

Shane snorts. “Yeah we are. You and me and Littlefoot makes three.” He kisses Ryan again, deeper this time. Ryan shivers as Shane licks into his mouth and as a moan crawls up his throat, Ryan abruptly remembers the other bed in the room, full of their sleeping kids. 

“Oh god,” Ryan says as the kiss breaks again.

“Yeah?” Shane grins toothily. 

“No, Shane, shut up,” Ryan shoves playfully at his chest. “The kids are right there!” He peers over Shane’s shoulder just to double check that both kids are still asleep. No glowing red eyes look back at him, so Ryan relaxes into the bed again. “You do realize we’re gonna have to be mindful of that like, all the time now, right?”

Shane rolls his eyes. “I had factored it into my plans, yes.”

“What are we gonna do if we want a date night?” Ryan asks. He’s less anxious now, slightly—it’s overridden by the weird kind of thrill in figuring out the plans. 

“You mentioned TJ and Mark, bring ‘em into the fold. We might have to check with Mothman first, since we can’t tell them about Littlefoot without telling them about Indy. But I bet they wouldn’t be too weird about it. Or, like I said at the park, we’ll let Indy babysit. I’m pretty sure Indy is older anyways. It’s its job, as the older sibling.”

“Will we have to give it an allowance?”

“What would Indy even spend money on?”

“Apples?”

“Apple chips.”

“Hats.”

“Oh, clothes, definitely.” 

Ryan smothers his laugh against Shane’s shoulder. He stays there even after the laughter dies down, comforted by the warmth rolling off Shane and the scent of his skin underneath the hotel shampoo. 

“What about school?” he asks quietly. 

“We’ll get some homeschool books,” Shane says easily, “I’ll invest in a subscription to Time and NatGeo and we’ll watch nothing but nature documentaries all day.” 

“What if there’s things we can’t teach her?”

“I think every kid experiences that.” Shane cups the back of Ryan’s head, a steady weight. “We’ll just do our best, that’s all we can do.” 

Ryan swallows. He’s still nervous. He’s sure there’s a million and one things they still need to figure out, even if they don’t all come to mind right this second. _This is parenthood,_ he thinks. _Sure, not everyone’s raising a baby Bigfoot, but everyone’s nervous._ The thought soothes him, if only momentarily. 

“I’m really excited to do this with you, Shane,” Ryan says softly against the cotton of Shane’s tee. 

Shane turns his head and presses his lips to Ryan’s ear, breath hot on his skin. Shane exhales shakily. “I’m excited too. There’s no one else I’d wanna do this with.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm currently drunk, so I decided to post this chapter early! Bonus chapter, whoo!


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Somehow, they end up back on a more well-worn trail. They pass by a waterfall, spilling crystal clear water into a small lake below. Around them are the sounds of nature: birds cawing and leaves rustling and, if Ryan strains his ears, he thinks he can almost pick out the telltale cry of Littlefoot.
> 
> When they reach a bridge, over another gushing river of water, Shane stops him. “One sec,” Shane says. “Indy, wanna stretch your wings a bit? Might as well do it now before we’re stuck in the car for the next couple days.”
> 
> Indy twitches an antenna and flutters off. It flies high above their heads, twirling and swooping between branches. Ryan feels entranced as he watches Indy fly higher, and he only feels a _hint_ of anxiety.
> 
> Okay, that’s a lie. He’s _very_ anxious about it, but he’s resolutely trying not to be. Beside him, Shane leans on the wooden rail of the bridge. 
> 
> He looks down at the water, then up at Indy. “So,” he says.
> 
> “So,” Ryan mimics.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've never been to Olympic National Park, but I did google pics and it sure looks gorgeous! The scenery is based on my interpretation of the pics I could find, but if something's a little inaccurate, well, there's no substitute for the real thing.
> 
> It's the homestretch now, just the epilogue after this!!

Ryan opens his eyes and for the first time in a long time, the treeline of Point Pleasant greets him. It’s shaded in blacks and grays, but he can almost feel the grass underneath his feet. He looks around to find Shane standing beside him, looking just as perplexed. Ryan turns again and suddenly, Mothman stands before them, wings spread wide for a moment before drawing close to his back again.

“Oh god,” Ryan hisses as fear lances through his chest. 

_“Nothing is wrong,”_ Mothman says. He even holds up a placating hand, clawed and large though it may be. _“My child contacted me.”_

“Indy called you?” Shane asks.

_“Yes. You are returning Littlefoot to her home, yes?”_

“We’re trying to,” Ryan says. “But...well, we couldn’t find them.” 

Mothman’s antennae twitch. _“I have found them.”_

Ryan’s breath catches in his throat. “What?”

_“They are in Olympic National Park.”_ Mothman says it so simply, like it’s obvious. And yeah, sure, that was one of the spots on Ryan’s original list—one they ruled out for being too close to the water—but he never actually expected Littlefoot’s family to be around. _“I can take you to them.”_

Ryan gulps and Shane says exactly what he’s thinking: “Why now?”

_“Just as you had to search, I did as well. It took time.”_

Ryan looks at Shane. “Will we get to say goodbye?”

_“I did not ask, but I do not think her family will mind.”_

Ryan breathes in shakily. Shane nods. 

“Okay, so…”

_“Wake up,” _Mothman commands. _“Wake up, and I will take you there.”_

Ryan blinks and suddenly he’s staring at the ceiling of the hotel room. Indy’s trills fill the air as it snores; Littlefoot snores too, a deeper and rumbling sound. Ryan looks to his left and finds Shane staring back at him. 

“Guess we’re going to Olympic National Park,” Shane whispers.

“Guess so.” Ryan’s heart clenches. “Do you think mama Bigfoot will let us visit her sometimes?” Tears make his vision swim and he blinks them away, succeeding in only pushing them down his cheeks. 

“I think so,” Shane says softly. “Littlefoot likes me too much.”

Ryan laughs wetly. “Yeah, yeah she does.” He rolls over and hides his face against Shane’s neck. Shane winds one arm around him and worms the other under him to loop him in his grasp. Ryan sniffles. 

“Wanna wait a little bit before we wake them up?”

Ryan nods, smearing his tears across Shane’s neck. 

They end up waiting for Indy to rise from bed and float over to them. It lands on Ryan’s hip and chirps. He reaches out and cups his hand against its back, just beneath its wings.

“Hey, buddy.” 

_Are we going soon?_

“Mothdaddy told you too, huh?” Shane says. He rolls onto his back and rests his hands on his stomach. 

_Yeah._

Ryan heaves a sigh. “We should probably get it over with.”

“Yeah.” Shane sits up. “I’ll get the baby girl, explain to her what’s going on. If that’s okay?” 

Ryan looks over at the bed where Littlefoot is still sleeping. It’s not like she doesn’t like Ryan, but she’s got an undeniable connection with Shane. So he nods and cradles Indy to his chest. “Yeah, I’ll get packed. I’ll leave out some clean jeans for you.”

Shane shrugs one shoulder. “If we’re just teleporting, I might just stick with sweats and change later.”

Ryan rolls his eyes. “You wanna meet Littlefoot’s mom in sweats?”

Shane pauses as he heaves himself off the bed. “Fair point. Leave out some jeans.” 

“Of course.” Ryan watches as Shane wanders around to Littlefoot’s side of the bed. Shane crouches beside the bed and Ryan listens as Littlefoot wakes up. She grumbles and growls and Shane speaks lowly to her, careful and slow. She winds her arms around his neck and Shane hefts her up before slipping from the bedroom. Ryan looks down at Indy in his arms and says, “Wanna help me pack?” 

Ryan and Indy get their things packed along with a clean pair of jeans left out for Shane. Ryan’s debating texting Shane when the other man returns, Littlefoot still in his arms. She’s squirming in his grasp and clapping her hands together. 

“I take it she’s excited to get back home?” Ryan asks as he accepts Littlefoot into his arms so Shane can get changed.

“Very,” Shane confirms. “Figure we’ll load everything into the car, check out, and let Father Moth work his magic?”

“Is your goal in life to come up with as many stupid names for Mothman as possible?”

Shane winks at him before slipping into the bathroom. 

Indy _pops_ their bags into the car once Shane’s pajamas are packed, and Shane herds the kids to the car while Ryan settles up their bill. Then, they all stand around the car.

“Should we get inside?” Shane asks. “Are we taking the car with us?”

_No_, Indy says inside their heads. _Hold on to each other, like in the caves._

Ryan takes Shane’s hand, who takes Littlefoot’s hand, and Indy rests on Littlefoot’s shoulders. Ryan inhales slow and deep and closes his eyes. 

When he opens them again, they’re surrounded by luscious green hills and a rock-covered beach, though all the rocks are smooth and water-worn. They’re stuck in thick, muddy sand that sifts as the gentle waves come crashing against the shore. Ryan looks around, inhaling a deep, sea-scented breath, and Indy says, _one more time._

The next time Ryan opens his eyes, they’re deeper into the park. He’d hazard a guess that they’re off the beaten path a bit, somewhere other hikers or trail-goers won’t find. 

For a moment, there is only the quiet stillness of nature.

Then, there’s a cry of delight, one that doesn’t come from Littlefoot. 

Indy floats into the air as Littlefoot takes off, ambling quickly toward the sound. Ryan and Shane swivel in unison as a much taller, much harrier Bigfoot emerges from between two trees. 

“Mama!” Littlefoot shouts, taking off toward the towering form.

Her hair is the same color as Littlefoot’s, albeit thicker and longer. She stoops and scoops Littlefoot into its arms as she approaches, heaving her into the air and onto her shoulders. Littlefoot sways up high, the top of her head getting lost in branches and she reaches for them, delighted. The Bigfoot stands well over seven feet tall, and her eyes are the same warm brown as Littlefoot’s. There are whiskers on her cheeks and her teeth are crooked and square when she smiles up at Littlefoot. 

The Bigfoot seems to notice the three of them, and approaches. There’s nothing apprehensive or uncertain in her gait. When she’s close enough, Littlefoot slides down her back and pulls herself to rest on the slight curve of the Bigfoot’s hip. 

Littlefoot leans in and seems to whisper something in the Bigfoot’s ear.

A soft, almost melodic voice comes from the taller Bigfoot. “You have returned my daughter to me.” 

Shane’s throat clicks as he swallows, so Ryan speaks. “Yeah. Wasn’t easy,” he says with a laugh.

Mama Bigfoot looks down at Littlefoot and smiles. “I sent family to the forest before. They heard her, but were unsure if it was safe.”

Ryan blinks. “At Ape Canyon?”

Mama Bigfoot nods. “A friend visited me in the night and explained.”

“Mothman,” Shane says faintly.

“As you know him, yes.” Mama Bigfoot hefts Littlefoot higher onto her hip. “Thank you for caring for my daughter.” 

“Of course. We just wanted her to be safe.”

“Thank you,” she says again. She steps closer, and though her feet are, in fact, _big_, her footsteps are nearly silent on the ground. She holds out the hand not curled around Littlefoot. Ryan shakes her hand, then Shane. 

“Is there something we can call you?” 

She smiles at them; Ryan’s struck by the resemblance to Littlefoot’s smile. He almost laughs at himself—of course their smiles are similar. Toothy and human but sharp. “I hear you call me Mama Bigfoot. This is acceptable.” 

“We couldn’t say Littlefoot’s name,” Ryan says somewhat apologetically. 

“Our names are old and historied, it is alright. She seems quite taken with your name for her.” 

Ryan’s cheeks are burning. “Oh, good.”

“You may visit whenever you like.” She turns her smile on Littlefoot, who grins back, bright and toothy. “Just come to the beach as you did before, and we will find you. You have powerful friends to help you.” 

Indy trills excitedly and Mama Bigfoot nods. 

“We must be going now. Her siblings miss her.” Mama Bigfoot sets Littlefoot on the ground. “I will give you a moment.” 

Shane drops to his knees in an instant, arms outstretched for Littlefoot to come barreling into. She wraps around him like an octopus and Ryan rubs a hand on his chest, over his aching heart. He pulls his phone out and, after getting a quick nod from Mama Bigfoot, snaps a quick pic of Shane wrapped around Littlefoot just as tight.

“Ryan, get the hell over here,” Shane says against Littlefoot’s shoulder. Ryan almost drops his phone in his haste to join the hug. Indy joins in too, plopping happily atop Littlefoot’s head. “Shit, kiddo, I’m gonna miss you.”

“Come back and visit,” Littlefoot says simply, easily, as if she hasn’t been mostly silent the entire trip. “Like mama says. Come to the beach.” 

Shane nods. “Yeah, of course we’ll come back. And if you guys are ever in LA again, look us up, okay? We’ll always have room for you.” 

Littlefoot squeezes them once, a hug almost hard enough to hurt, and then it breaks. She takes a step back and Ryan misses her warmth; he moves closer to Shane. Littlefoot smiles at them. “Love you,” she says. “See you soon?”

“Yeah,” Ryan breathes. “See you soon, kiddo.” 

“Bye Indy!” 

_Bye, Littlefoot._ Indy flaps a wing in something like a wave. _Be safe!_

Littlefoot nods and stumbles back over to her mother. Mama Bigfoot takes one of Littlefoot’s hands in hers, and then they’re disappearing into the forest. Ryan doesn’t know if it’s his eyes playing tricks on him, or maybe if it’s just a special ability of Bigfoots, but between one blink and the next, Littlefoot and her mom are gone. 

Shane falls slightly against Ryan, and Ryan wraps him in a hug. 

“We got her home,” he says against Shane’s hair. He cups the back of his neck and curls an arm across his shoulders. “We did it, Shane.”

Shane’s hands fist in his shirt. “Yeah, we did.” 

They stay like that, on their knees in the dirt, until their bodies are screaming at them. Ryan stands first and hauls Shane to his feet.

_Ready to go back?_ Indy asks as it bobs around their heads.

“Maybe we can walk back? At least partway? It’s...it’s pretty beautiful here. I don’t wanna leave just yet.” Shane looks around almost wistfully as he speaks.

“Sounds good to me.”

_Me too!_ Indy floats a few paces ahead of them, leading the way. 

Somehow, they end up back on a more well-worn trail. They pass by a waterfall, spilling crystal clear water into a small lake below. Around them are the sounds of nature: birds cawing and leaves rustling and, if Ryan strains his ears, he thinks he can almost pick out the telltale cry of Littlefoot.

When they reach a bridge, over another gushing river of water, Shane stops him. “One sec,” Shane says. “Indy, wanna stretch your wings a bit? Might as well do it now before we’re stuck in the car for the next couple days.”

Indy twitches an antenna and flutters off. It flies high above their heads, twirling and swooping between branches. Ryan feels entranced as he watches Indy fly higher, and he only feels a _hint_ of anxiety.

Okay, that’s a lie. He’s _very_ anxious about it, but he’s resolutely trying not to be. Beside him, Shane leans on the wooden rail of the bridge. 

He looks down at the water, then up at Indy. “So,” he says.

“So,” Ryan mimics.

“This is pretty beautiful, right? Pretty scenic.”

“Mhm,” Ryan agrees a little absently. “I can see why Littlefoot’s family likes it here.”

“Yeah, it’s nice.”

Ryan keeps watching Indy and the rustling of branches until there’s an itch at the back of his neck; he looks to his right to find Shane staring at him. His eyes are a little red from crying, and his hair is still a mess from bedhead and traipsing through the woods. He’s grinning that grin again, the one that’s soft and makes Ryan feel weak in the knees.

Shane shuffles minutely closer and Ryan looks down when their hands bump on the rail.

“Look,” Shane says. “The ring is back at the house, but I don’t really care. I don’t think I’m gonna find a better chance than this, right? So.” Shane swallows and looks down at the wood. “I’m not getting on one knee, I don’t think my poor joints can handle it, but…” He looks up. He takes Ryan’s hand, thumbs over his knuckles. “I love you, Ryan.”

“I love you too, Shane.” 

Shane grins crookedly at him. “This is me proposing by the way.”

“Yeah, I fucking got that,” Ryan says before gripping Shane’s hands and tugging him the scant space closer until they can kiss. Shane stumbles against him and laughs into the kiss. It’s a sound underscored with Indy’s trilling above them and the rustle of the trees and the rush of running water. Ryan can feel his legs shaking slightly where he stands and he lets out a shivering exhale when the kiss breaks.

“So...Is that a yes?”

“You’re not fucking with me, right?”

“I was just ready to raise a baby Bigfoot with you. I would never fuck with you.” When Ryan opens his mouth to protest, Shane continues, “Not about this,” said so softly it almost hurts. 

Ryan licks his lips. “Of course it’s a yes, you big lummox. How could it be anything else?” 

Shane’s eyes almost slip shut with the force of his smile. “Yeah?”

“Yeah, dummy. Come here and kiss me again.” Ryan tilts his head insistently and Shane obliges him.

It’s a long drive back home, and it feels a little wrong not to have Littlefoot with them—Ryan almost wonders if Mothman could just teleport them and the car home—but Ryan isn’t dreading it. He’s looking forward to it, in a way. Just like he’s looking forward to getting home and seeing whatever ring Shane managed to pick out and _hide_ from him. Just like he’s looking forward to coming back here to see Littlefoot and her family again. Just like he’s looking forward to his entire fucking future with Shane, and he doesn’t even care how sappy that makes him sound.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You were already planning to propose then, weren’t you?”
> 
> “I told you as much! Because I really needed you to know there was no way in hell I was going to ask you to marry me in, I must reiterate, a fucking Chipotle!”
> 
> “Guys,” Jen says from behind the camera, snickering. “The actual proposal?”
> 
> “Oh, right.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the epilogue! 
> 
> Huge thanks to Bessy for all her help, without which this fic never would've happened, and to everyone who's read and commented along the way! 
> 
> Stay tuned for more in this universe!! Thanks everyone, I hope you've enjoyed!!

They end up making their wedding into a video; it’s sort of cheesy, sure, but it just feels _right_. Unsolved is as much to thank for their relationship as Indy or the universe itself, or whatever, so it only feels right to at least include the audience somehow. They don’t film every moment, and though it would be easy, they don’t make it into a multi-part series. Instead, they do one, albeit slightly long, montage. 

_Ryan and Shane sit in front of an orange screen. Their hands are linked on the table before them, and the overhead light glints off their engagement rings. _

_“Ryan literally thought I was going to propose to him in a Chipotle.”_

_“I still maintain that’s not unreasonable! It wouldn’t even crack the top ten of the dumbest things we’ve done!” Ryan tries to take his hands back, clearly to throw them in the air, but Shane tightens his grip. “You were being all serious!”_

_“I really wasn’t,” Shane says with a smile. _

_“You were already planning to propose then, weren’t you?”_

_“I told you as much! Because I really needed you to know there was no way in hell I was going to ask you to marry me in, I must reiterate, a _fucking_ Chipotle!”_

_“Guys,” Jen says from behind the camera, snickering. “The actual proposal?”_

_“Oh, right.” _

_Ryan rolls his eyes. “Idiot,” he says, aware of how unbearably fond he sounds._

_“Do we really have to do this?” Ryan moans miserably. He’s only half-exaggerating. _

_“Who better to ask?” Shane says. He tugs at Ryan’s hand and flashes a smile at the camera. “I know it’s your greatest shame, but it’s not like they’d steer us wrong.”_

_“You don’t know that.”_

_“I do, Ryan. I do, in fact, know that neither Steven or Andrew would steer us wrong when it comes to helping us with the cake and catering.” _

_“Did I hear you say cake?” Steven says, head popping up from his desk. Andrew smirks beside him. _

_“And catering,” Shane says. “For the wedding.”_

_Ryan tilts his head back and murmurs something that can’t be caught by the camera or his mic. _

_“Of course we’ll help!” Steven says a little too loudly._

_“See?” Shane grins._

_“I hate you.”_

_“Shane, open your eyes.”_

_Ryan stands in front of Shane, hands on his hips. He’s in his suit for the wedding: a deep plum color that complements his skin tone with a crisp white dress shirt underneath the blazer and a soft, blush-pink tie. His hair is a mess from changing so quickly, and his face is scrunched together._

_Shane sits in a plush chair in jeans, a t-shirt, and a Buzzfeed hoodie with his hands thrown over his face. _

_“Shane!”_

_“I want to be surprised!”_

_“You’ve already seen the suit! You helped me pick the stupid thing!” Ryan starts to laugh as he shakes his head. _

_“I’ve seen it in a _magazine_, and on a _hanger_. I haven’t seen it on _you_, yet!”_

_Ryan’s face does a funny thing. The camera zooms in on his expression. His cheeks and tips of his ears are pink. “You’re...seriously? You seriously won’t look?”_

_“I’m seriously not looking.”_

_“I’m not some bride all dressed in white, you know.” Ryan steps off the little platform and stands between Shane’s legs. _

_“Doesn’t matter. I’m excited for the surprise. Besides, if I see you now, I might do something inappropriate.”_

_“Are you saying you’re going to do something inappropriate at our wedding?”_

_“Ryan,” Shane whines. Behind the camera, TJ snickers. _

_“Fine,” Ryan sighs. “Does this mean I need to not look when you try your suit on?”_

_“That’s up to you,” Shane says evenly._

_Ryan rolls his eyes and shakes his head at the camera. _

_Later, when Shane tries on his crisp, light gray suit, Ryan dutifully doesn’t look._

_Ryan’s face fills the screen and he’s got a devious grin on his face. “We’ve got a week till the wedding,” he tells the camera. “Shane’s been working nonstop on his vows. I went to bed a couple hours ago but woke up and he hadn’t come to bed yet.”_

_The camera switches to show the hallway of their home as Ryan leaves what is presumably their bedroom and arrives in their living room. He stands across the room from the couch. The television is on but the volume is low, and on the couch sits Shane. _

_His head is tipped back against the couch and he’s snoring loud enough to be picked up by the camera even without a mic. Ryan zooms in on what appears to be a small trail of drool dribbling down Shane’s chin. In his lap is a notebook and while the words are unreadable, there’s clearly a dozen or so smudges from furiously erasing at the page. Beside him, Obi sleeps, uncaring. His motoring purr can be faintly heard under Shane’s snores._

_“What a doofus,” Ryan says. The camera drops to his side and there’s the sound of rustling, then Ryan quietly saying, “Hey, big guy, come to bed.” _

_The snoring stops and is replaced with an awkward coughing and choking sound. “Huh?”_

_“Bed, big guy. C’mon.”_

_“What’re you doing, Ry?”_

_“Opening some of the wedding gifts we’ve gotten so far.” Ryan smiles up at Shane and the camera. “C’mon, look at this one.” He lifts it into the air and makes a show of dropping it back into his lap. “It’s fucking heavy!” It’s a large rectangle, wrapped precisely in ivory paper with a gold filigree pattern._

_“Open it!” _

_Ryan laughs as he tears at the delicate wrapping paper, tossing it aside and running his hand over the front of what is now revealed to be a book. “Is this…?” At his feet, Obi munches on the wrapping paper with a delighted chirp. _

_The camera looms closer and focuses on the title. Shane reads, “_A Compendium of Bigfoot Knowledge from A to Z_. What the hell?” Shane falls onto the couch beside Ryan. “Who’s it from?”_

_Ryan digs around the wrapping paper again and comes up with a small white card. He unfolds it for the camera._

** _TO: MR BERGARA AND MR MADEJ_ **  
** _FROM: A FRIEND  
I regret that I will be missing the ceremony, but my daughter will be there, of course. _ **

_“You don’t think,” Shane starts._

_“Shane, the camera!” _

_“Oh, shit, right.”_

_“So, how ya feeling?” Behind the camera is a shock of pink hair. Steven’s smiling face peers around it to look into the mirror and down at Ryan._

_“Great,” Ryan says. It’s hard to tell if he’s joking or not._

_“Nervous?” Steven angles the camera down and Ryan swivels in the chair to stare at the lens._

_“Not even a little bit.” This time, it’s clear he’s being fully honest. A grin splits across his face. “It’s just Shane. Dumb, freakishly tall, Shane.” He looks down at his hands, bare of a ring for the first time in a year. “Who I love. Who I’m gonna marry.”_

_“How do you think Shane’s feeling?”_

_“I...I think he feels the same way I do.” The blush on Ryan’s cheeks and ears spreads. “I know it.” _

_“God,” Steven says softly. “And they say _Andrew and I_ are saps.” _

_“Shane, no, c’mon,” Ryan shoves at the camera. His palm collides with the lens and Shane makes an indignant sound. “Shane,” Ryan drawls. _

_“No, hey, c’mon, one last shot of you in that suit.” _

_“It’s wrinkled!”_

_“I don’t care.” The camera tilts at an odd angle as Shane comes into view and kisses Ryan where he’s pressed against the bed. They’re both still in their suits, although Ryan’s tie is undone around his neck and Shane’s is nowhere to be found. “We’re married,” Shane says, so low it could almost be missed. _

_“Yeah,” Ryan says, huffing a laugh. He’s got a hand buried in Shane’s hair now. “We’re married.”_

_Shane leans back. The camera drops from his hand but still manages to stay focused on him and Ryan, although they’re upside down. Shane grins down at Ryan and Ryan mirrors his expression. _

_“Stop looking at me like that, you goof.” Ryan swats at Shane’s chest. “And turn off the camera.”_

_“Wait, I’ve got one more present, alright?”_

_“You got me a present? We’re married, Shane, that _is_ the present.”_

_Shane laughs as he climbs off the bed and leaves the frame for a second. He returns quickly with a folder in his hands. He tosses the folder onto Ryan’s chest. “Open it,” he says.”_

_Ryan does, sitting up slightly as he goes. Shane sits beside him on the bed again, his back to the camera and still upside down. The folder opens with a soft _swish_ and it’s followed quickly by Ryan’s sharp inhale. “Shane.”_

_“I just got a couple potential files together, that’s all. And got a head start on some of the paperwork, and whatever.”_

_“And whatever,” Ryan says in disbelief. “So, you wanna...You wanna get right into this, huh?”_

_“I mean, I kind of think adopting a kid can wait until at least after the honeymoon, but...yeah. Yeah, I do want to do it sooner rather than later.” _

_Ryan shifts as he sets the folder on the nearest nightstand. “Turn off the camera, Shane,” he says._

_“Yep, got it.” Shane dives for the camera and the screen goes black._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For reference, [this is the palette](https://bkwinery.com/content/uploads/2018/01/PlumCollage.jpg) I used for their wedding!


End file.
